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Racism watch: Recall petition against Cao (R, LA-02)

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  February 22nd, 2009 at 09:54 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Fortunately, it won’t go anywhere, so the Democrats will have to try to win this seat back on their own, with no shenanigans. Note that even the AP isn’t buying the ‘ostensible’ reason for this:

NEW ORLEANS — Legal roadblocks will likely doom an effort launched this week to recall U.S. Rep. Ahn “Joseph” Cao, the Vietnamese Republican who scored a surprise December victory in a predominantly black, mostly Democratic New Orleans congressional district.

Still, the petition drive, started by two black ministers only weeks after Cao took office, demonstrates the challenges he’ll face if he seeks a second term in 2010.

“At this point it’s going to be more symbolic than substantive,” pollster and political consultant Silas Lee said Friday of the recall effort, ostensibly launched to protest Cao’s vote against the federal stimulus package. “But symbolism carries a powerful message.”

Via Libertarian Republican, via The Other McCain.

You know, if we’re really going to have a full and frank discussion on race, Attorney General Holder, do you think that we can start by the way that minority activists from your party seem determined to judge a man by the color of his skin, not the content of his character?

No?

Imagine my surprise.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

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COMMENTS

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  • http://hillbillypolitics.com Steph C

    Say it ain’t so, Moe! It’s just not possible.

    At least that’s what we’re told on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the difference between what we’re told and the truth is a chasm as wide as the Pacific Ocean.

  • Rod_Patrick

    Moe, you nailed this one.

    When I watched CNN’s Borger accusing Republican Party as Confederate, I can’t help thinking the Black People as the MODERN SEGREGATIONISTS OF OUR TIME:

    …. Black magazine
    …. Black Music
    …. Black Congressional Caucus (Voting as a bloc)
    …. Black Culture
    …. Black Christian Churches

    and
    …. Black Liberation Party.

    And Black hoodlums are really notorious against the Hispanic and the Asian Americans.

    This America is no longer the free America that I used to know.

  • bk

    You have people like Cao who came to this country with nothing, and through incredibly hard work and the support of close-knit families are living the American dream.

    And he’s despised by people of a different race who say they can’t succeed because their ancestors were slaves 150 years ago.

  • gardenstateeric

    It’s unlikely that any Republican could possibly keep that seat in 2010. I wonder if he’d have a shot at the mayoralty in N.O.

  • Vladimir

    [Rev. Toris Young, who as president of the Louisiana Ministerial Alliance of Churches for All People] said that by Thursday morning, the recall committee had collected 13,000 signatures through e-mail and canvassing efforts, about 5,000 more signatures than he reported the previous day. In coming days, he said, the campaign will hit full steam with radio ads and lawn signs.

    Supporters of the recall said they are not worried about a report last year by a congressional attorney stating that “the United States Constitution does not provide for nor authorize the recall of United States officials such as … Representatives to Congress.”

    “It doesn’t matter what the Constitution says,” Young said.

    Oh. I’ll have to remember that.

    As soon as 48 hours before casting his vote, Cao had said he probably would vote for the bill, even if he were the only Republican to do so, because his district’s rebuilding needs were so desperate. But in the end, he said he voted no because of personal misgivings about the burden of debt it would place on the nation.

    Times-Picayune article.

  • Rod_Patrick

    That makes him a REAL Democrat.

    Rev.? How ironic.

  • red4ever

    representative who was denied membership in the Black Caucus. He wasn’t the right skin color, even though he was trying to join in order to provide better representation to his constitutency. Guess he shouldn’t bother to care about things like good representation and protecting his district from debt, he’ll never be “black enough.”

  • Jlerner

    This is just like them. We Asians get shafted time and time again because those who supposedly represent the interests of our people are more interested in crafting proletarian coalitions with other minority groups. Hence the pan Asian movements support for Affirmative Action, even though it hurts Asians more than any other group. Do we need another Vincent Chin for those in the Asian community begin to realize we need to be politically active? No one ever talks about the anti-Asian sentiments in the Black community; not one tear was shed for the Korean shops looted and burned in LA or the Chinese med students beaten to death in Philly.

    But our “interest groups” continue to suck the teat of the Democratic Party, giving our loyalty and our votes for nothing in return. As a Republican Asian, I think this is that Asian Americans are the last best hope for minority Republicans; an entire racial group that believes in individual responsibility and the importance of tradition should be a natural Republican voting block. Why that is not so is the tragedy of the so-called “model minority.”

  • navychick1993

    Not all of us think the same. It’s just unfortunate that a majority of blacks still hold onto the slave mentality. And it certainly doesn’t help that there are whites who still maintain the master mentality. This of course is the Democrat Party today.

    I recently graduated from UCLA and let me tell you…that was a very eye-opening experience. I had more white professors telling me how I should feel and think; it was nauseating. I didn’t even dare take a class with a black professor because I already knew what would be feed to me in class. I am a 36 year old Navy veteran, who just happens to be black and I was being treated like I didn’t know my head from my apple sugar sugar. I even had some academic counselor try to steer me towards special counseling for students of color…what? I got in on a very hard earned 3.9 GPA. Amazing how everyone is a victim of something at that school…but I digress.

    It’s going to take a change in the mindset of blacks to get them to move forward. Once they get tired of being pimped out by the likes of Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, the Democrat Party and yes…Obama..things will begin to change. Until then…I will continue to do my part to educate those that I run across about the principles of the Republican Party and how they have helped me become a proud, successful American, who just happens to be black.

    Sorry it was so long.

  • David123

    Ironically, it was judges who thought, “It doesn’t matter what the Constitution says.” who kept colored people from riding in the same train cars as whites for over 50 years in Louisiana.

    And for additional irony, the blacks and Cao would have all had to ride in the same separate [and supposedly equal - (yeah, right)] train car for non-whites in pre-1955 Louisiana.

  • deepredsea

    I am just curious as to what specific part of the article made you think “racism.” I was under the impression that the recall petition was from the misguided idea that porkulus would have helped LA-02, and Cao voted against it, so the liberal community was upset. Is there really any basis for racism? Because I don’t think I’m seeing it.

  • Vegas_Rick

    Therefor Mr Cao simply MUST be a racist to oppose the porkulus bill. If he cared about blacks at all, he would abandon his right-wing conservative principles.

    Sheesh!

  • deepredsea

    This to me was the most relevant part of the article that Moe linked to:

    “But his two votes against President Barack Obama’s stimulus package prompted the recall effort, said Rev. Aubry Wallace, chairman of the petition drive, and Rev. Toris Young, president of the Louisiana Ministerial Alliance of Churches for All People.”

    It’s not hard to imagine that this petition would be brought against ANY Rep. for LA-02 that voted against porkulus, regardless of race. I’m just not seeing the evidence to back up the racism claims, especially since this district voted FOR Cao last December, over a black man. An extremely corrupt black man, but a black man nonetheless.

  • Vegas_Rick
  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    …about what it’s like to kill your soul in order to defend your party’s institutionalized racism.

    Not enough to keep you around, mind.

  • USNJIMRET

    and a petition started by “two black ministers” isn’t mentioning race?
    Huh?

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    Rhythm was just a little bit off, plus of course he was carefully framing an argument using an assumption that even the AP couldn’t take seriously.

  • Vladimir

    From the T-P article, op cit.

    Accusing U.S. Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao of bowing to his Republican colleagues rather than supporting President Barack Obama’s stimulus package, about a dozen African-American ministers and their supporters on Thursday formally kicked off their effort to recall the newly minted congressman.

    Leaders of the Recall Anh Cao Committee said the congressman should have shunned his party and voted for the stimulus in part to show solidarity with the vast majority of voters in the 2nd Congressional District who backed Obama. Cao, who registered with the GOP last year, is Vietnamese-American.

    Though the ministers on hand Thursday are relatively new to local politics, they were joined by at least one familiar face: The Rev. Samuel Butler was a vocal supporter of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson [(D-LA, in his freezer!], the nine-term incumbent whom Cao ousted last fall.

    Yes, I am willing to assert that one who supports Career Corruptocrat William Jefferson through nine terms of larceny, petty and grand, and wants to oust Mr. Cao based on one vote acts primarily based on race.

    I am willing to assert that the fact that the committee’s name refers to the Representative as “Anh” sans “Joseph” is trying to underscore his “differentness”.

    I’d be willing to bet that the petition drives will not be parish-wide but will largely concentrate on the African-American community.

    Mr. Cao will represent this district well, if these jackasses only let him.

  • Addison

    …in fact all of them did. I know of approximately one who is under (admittedly minor) threat of recall. A recall that sort of flies in the face of why recalls generally happen.

    More generally…

    Here’s some wonderful logic: Cao wanted to join the Congressional Black Caucus, because the majority of the people he represents are black. Good for him! Makes sense! Cao’s vote on the stimulus was, for a brief time, up for grabs. He also has voted with the Democrats on multiple occasions already. It would have been wise to have included him in the Caucus. More pressure could have been brought from the pro-stimulus side. Hell, Cao could’ve been flipped by 2010!

    However, the Congressional Black Caucus refused to admit him.

    And now groups in his district want to recall him for not adequately representing his district’s demographic makeup, even though his district’s demographic makeup wasn’t good enough to get him into the Congressional Black Caucus!

    Either he is a representative of his constituents, and should have been allowed to join the Congressional Black Caucus, or he is not and shouldn’t be recalled. Either he’s beholden to them or not. Either he is a Burkean representative or a Jeffersonian one. But expecting him to be both is silly. Choose.

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    It deserves a “Zip up your pants” and a swift kick in the rear to send the instigator out the door. People like this want us to explain and explain and explain: it helps them argue that there must be something to this, because we’re disputing it.

    So don’t. When faced with a bad-faith arguer, verbally backhand and keep going. Make them play catchup.

  • Addison

    nt

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    That was better than what I had come up with, on the off chance that I encountered somebody who had actually asked that question and meant it.

  • Menlo

    You have to love that they call themselves the “Louisiana Ministerial Alliance of Churches for All People.”

  • rbdwiggins

    There is one prerequisite…

    Cao must log valuable face-time and speak directly to a majority of the voters in his district, bypassing the filter of the partisan press, and convince those same voters that a “No Vote” on the debt bill was truly in the best interest of the black family, the American people and our Republic.

    It’s a tall order, but it can be done. In addition, he will earn a great deal of respect from all his constituents, except those who practice racial politics for personal gain.

  • JustLeaveMeAlone

    but right about the rest of it.

    Don’t think that the difference between the Asian-American community and other ethnicities has not been noticed. It has been.

    I live along the Gulf Coast, where many “boat people” came in the 1980s and later. I have nothing but deep admiration at how this group of people, just as poor and downtrodden as any a freed slave at the end of the Civil War, not only learned a language and worked hard but embraced entrepreneurship, strong family ties, education, achievement, and responsibility.

    I’m also aware of strong anti-Asian (as well as anti-Hispanic) sentiment in the African-American community as a whole.

    If Eric Holder wants to have an honest dialog about race, let’s see him start there — racism in his own community.

  • Caleb (absentee)

    nt

  • mbauer

    Is there an article about this? I’d really like to read more.

  • Vegas_Rick

    http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rep.-caos-interest-in-cbc-could-spark-clash-2008-12-12.html

  • mbauer

    If stories like that don’t make you sick, you are being intellectually dishonest with yourself.

    Can you imagine if there were a white congressional caucus that only admitted white people?

    If this country is going to continue to lead the world in its ability to offer anyone, regardless of color, sex, or social class, the chance to succeed, we have to be critical of all parties, not just the perceived advantaged parties.

  • gyorcnacain

    Yes, I am willing to assert that one who supports Career Corruptocrat William Jefferson through nine terms of larceny, petty and grand, and wants to oust Mr. Cao based on one vote acts primarily based on race.

    My guess is it has to do more with just being very partisan, than race. Lots of people will be pro-the-guy-in-their-party and anti-the-guy-in-the-other-party pretty much no matter what. The fact that it’s a group of African-American ministers, probably has more to do with where political power is concentrated in that district (the base of the Dem party in many heavily black areas, I’m told, is black churches, and by extension their ministers). Just because they’re black, and he’s Vietnamese-American, doesn’t mean there is race involved.

    It’s probably got more to do with the fact that this is a D+28 district. In a year that the Republican wins 60% of the Presidential vote (like for example 1984 with Reagan) the Dem would still get about two thirds of the total vote. Support for the stimulus bill there was probably very high, especially if there is a conception that they would get more money than most places to rebuild since this is New Orleans.

    Anyway, the fact that they refer to him as “Anh Cao” does give me pause. I looked online to see if there was an official website or something to this effort, there doesn’t appear to be, and all the comments by people involved I found were all about the stimulus..nothing that hinted of racism that i saw in my like 30 seconds of Googling. Though one guy did refer to the idea that NOLA should get money for rebuilding and Rep. Cao wouldn’t deliver. I think it would make sense for people in NOLA to not care as much about keeping government spending in check.

    btw is there a way to preview comments before posting them?

  • http://moelane.com/ Moe Lane

    …gets to keep posting here where deepredsea, fake Republican, does not.

    Let those with eyes see, and understand.

    Moe Lane

    PS: Returning preview and other functions to the comment box are on the list.

  • Vladimir

    …where everything political has a racial component.

    Where the black DA (DA!) fired 40 some-odd white incumbents & replaced them with blacks.

  • scarlos

    He needs to pull out all the stops, and approach his voters directly, and sell his positions to them that way. There is no better way to ensure your reelection in a tough district than to openly present yourself to the voters and sell your ideas to them.

    But even if he doesn’t win, that sort of strategy will benefit him greatly for a future state-wide office run, If he can cut into the Democrat’s majority in the 2nd District, his chances of winning a Senate or Governor Seat increases immensely.

  • Rod_Patrick

    My personal apology:

    Please forgive my comment especially my phrase “Black hoodlums” as there are also White Hoodlums, Hispanic Hoodlums, Asian Hoodlums, etc.. In similar manner, some Black hoodlums are also notorious to their own kind, not just to other races. The same applies to White vs. White, Hispanic vs. Hispanic and Asians vs Asians.

    It was really a snark on my part. And I regret not qualifying my comment further.

    - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – – - – — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

    My take on Racism:

    Contrary to general belief that racism is all about hate, some deeper analyses have shown that racism?s real roots are jealousy and insecurity. The racism by the white people in the beginning of the 20th Century with KKK as its face was said to be about ?envy? and insecurity against the black people?s growing opportunities in the society (of course there are other theories). Note that these traits are not inherent only to the whites. In fact, it?s inherent to any race, including Black, Arabs, Jews, etc.

    Racism tends to cause the following behavior to the racist:

    a) groupie attitude/aggressive behavior? fake courage due to presence of peers of same color. This is the reason why statistical data on violence points ?racial groups?

    b) guilt/fear/insecurity/inferiority complex ? racist is usually afraid of being alone in the midst of the people that the

    c) despondency – from sadness… to grieving…. to anger … and then hate

    But instead of learning from the errors of the KKK movement by the racist whites, the Black liberation Theory (BLT) advocacy offers the same kind of insecurity and jealousy against whites and sadly, other non-Black minority groups. I truly believe that BLT is not purely based on African American traditions but a borrowed concept from communist Hispanics who migrated from Latin American countries in the 50s and 60s. Note that there are also White champions of BLT including Father Pfleger.

    The same internal struggles by racist whites are now being experienced by the BLT advocates. Instead of capitalizing on their remarkable traits likes industry, resilience and perseverance, many black families demonized by BLT have lost faith to succeed and to seek a better life for their families. But this is not supposed to be the case.

    There are thousands if not millions of exemplary and heroic African Americans who have already succeeded in almost all areas of the endeavors such as in music, arts, science, military, engineering (my engineering buddies), and politics. It only proves that we are really truly equal in the eyes of the Almighty. In Modern America, both Blacks and Whites already have equal chances to succeed and to fail. This makes the scornful and hateful tones of the BLT irrelevant in the modern discussion of opportunities for each American family.

    The same is also similar to the socialists? political scorn and jealousy against the American way of living.

    If Americans truly want a RACE-neutral society, we should stop seeing our fellow Americans by their colors. We need to stop seeing ourselves by our own colors too. We should reduce our tendencies for groupie attitudes.

    - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – – - – — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

    On Black Racism vs. Cao:

    Why am I discussing racism here? I think that actions of Revs. Samuel Butler and Young against Rep. Cao have some elements of racism that can only be committed by a BLT follower/preacher.

    1. Both are Black Ministers rallying behind the policy of Black President.

    2. Both, especially Butler, are supporters of former Congressman William Jefferson (9 terms), another Black politician, who was ousted by Cao.

    3. Both Reverends are part of the Christian Beltwan who supported Obama and the Democrats in the last election.

    Besides Cao?s opposition to Obama?s Stimulus Plan, the joint action of Butler and Young and their call for signatures of their constituents (mostly black) are representative of groupie attitude (Blacks) against non-group members (Cao as Vietnamese).

    The driving factors here are both revenge and jealousy.

    Thus, the above indicates that Cao has several scores to settle with Jefferson and company.

    With the concept of ?Black America?, Obama is a honorary member of the Team Jeferson/Butler/Young. Opposing Obama?s stimulus makes it a second offence on the part Representative Cao.

    Being a Republican who ousted a Democrat is the third. All of Cao?s ?sins? against Team Jefferson/Butler/Young (+Obama) are generally based on the groupie tendency caused by the BLT meme. Butler and Young are doing these things despite the fact that they have supported (directly or indirectly) Jefferson who is scheduled to be arraigned in May for his graft and corruption case.

    There is actually a bigger issue of racism here.

    It?s actually the racism of Louisiana?s Black Leaders against Bobby Jindal. Here is an example. http://www.blackcommentator.com/65/65_cover_louisiana.html

    - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – – - – — – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

    As for you Brother Navychick…. You are a winner like my three black buddies (black, engineers, highly-intelligent, very conservative).

    And I salute you for standing on your own principles and for pursuing your dreams and opportunities like the rest of other Americans.

  • uma_richie

    My take was that navychick1993 is female, but as I am a Navy chick myself, I might be projecting.

  • http://www.the41stvote.org rcov092

    black mothers who are truly focused on their children know that conservatism works inherently, that is how they raise their children. They can contribute mightily to this debate.

  • Rod_Patrick

    I agree Uma.

    He could be a she.

    I apologize again.

  • naraht

    The term in the political business for the situation with Rep Cao is “Renting the District”. This happens when the Office Holder of the party with the large Majority in the District becomes toxic. It happened in 2006 in TX-17 and FL-16 and in 2008 in LA-2 and ID-1.

    If the Democrats can find a non-controversial bland Democrat (preferably black of course) who can with a straight face that they never met Jefferson but is sure he was a great man who ended up doing inappropriate things, then mostly likely Rep Cao will be a one termer. Similarly if you reverse the parties, it describes Rep Minnick in the Idaho 1st.

    This *is* how the Washington Democrats like Van Hollen and Pelosi want the script to go in LA-02. Whether it does, is a completely different story. No one ever made a living by estimating the limits of Corruption that exist in the city of New Orleans.

    Note, there are Representatives who do manage to get re-elected in districts which tilt away from them, like Chet Edwards in Texas, Matheson in the Utah 2nd and Castle in Delaware, Matheson’s district was made much more conservative due to redistricting and Castle is on his ninth term. (not sure on Chet Edwards)

  • navychick1993

    But it’s ok. And I am a she. (smile)