The Democrats are within a hair’s breadth of winning back
control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans on
November 7. Only six seats shy of a majority in a year where few
Republicans are running for reelection, many Congressional
observers say the Democrats might just pull it off. And if they do,
no less than 22 committee and sub-committee chairmanships will be
taken over by African Americans.
‘How cool is that?’ gushes film-maker Michael Moore, in his weekly
web column on MichaelMoore.com. ‘That’s right. If the
Democrats get the House back, Rep. John Conyers of Detroit will
become the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Charles
Rangel of New York will be the chair of the powerful House Ways and
Means Committee. And Rep. Julian Dixon of California will head up
the House Intelligence Committee. Three of the most important
committees in Congress will be led by African Americans for the
first time in our history.’
The reason these members of the Congressional Black Caucus are
poised for leadership, says Moore, is that over the years they
stuck to their progressive politics while many white Democrats
tried to sound ‘more Republican,’ and lost to the real thing.
But be careful who you tell this secret to, Moore adds. ‘If word
gets out to all those conservative, reactionary, racist Americans
of what is about to occur — Fear of a Black Planet! — then they
will probably pour out of their sinkholes on election day to vote
for the Republicans.’ — Leif Utne
Go there>>