Friends, one of the few issues that united almost all Americans in the 1970s -- a turbulent and divisive decade -- was forced busing. Virtually no one liked the idea of transporting schoolchildren over long distances to ensure that every school was racially mixed. President Nixon won reelection partly by condemning busing. California Governor Ronald Reagan was against busing. And so was Delaware Senator Joe Biden. This became an issue in the recent Democratic presidential debate, when Kamala Harris went after Biden because of his past opposition to busing. Harris's attack was apparently successful in a political sense -- she has revived her struggling campaign and damaged that of Joe Biden -- but in a substantive sense Harris is barking up the wrong tree. Busing was always a bad idea, and there were, and are, plenty of legitimate reasons to oppose it. This is the subject of my latest article. See what you make of it.
https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2019/07/04/kamala-harris-gets-it-wrong-on-busing-and-joe-biden-n2549441
I was one of those kids that was bused for the opposite reason; my parents did not want me going to a minority school in Chicago. I remember sitting for hours on a bus (well, in my mind it was hours). So, I guess that made my parents racist? (you don't have to answer that--I already know the answer)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, she sure is bold...however, in truth, I think it makes her look petty. I am strictly saying this as a woman--she sets women back by her petty comments. I also think she will stop at nothing to achieve whatever she wants.
I hope you have a wonderful July 4th, Dr. Waddy. Isn't it sad the meltdown over the "Trump" July 4th celebration? How "unamerican" these political leaders are acting and I would include the MSM media in that as well.
D. Waddy and Linda: Reality: I remember an account of a suburban high school athlete in my area getting into a fight with a bused inner city thug and almost getting killed. Of course McGovern and Kennedy style liberals were well aware of such probabilities and protected their children while casually advocating the arrangement for the disdained lower classes
ReplyDeleteI know, I know because I saw it in practice in Shock Incarceration , which had a school with professional teachers ranging from elementary to GED, that inner city youth can be taught. But it must be done in an ordered and respectful setting. That did not obtain at the suburban schools to which brutalized and brutalizing inner city kids were bused when that was practiced. Those liberal teachers and administrators didn't have the knowledge or the fortitude to deal with the terribly damaged products of the cynical, anarchic city streets. Busing was a well intentioned idea but terribly naive and disastrous both in its rationale and its actuality . Kamala Harris should be resolutely challenged on her apparent atavistic support for it and pore 'ol Biden ain't up to it, I think.Probably no Dem is.
Linda, I don't think your parents were racist in the least. I assume their motivation was to send you to a better school, and what parent wouldn't want that for their child? Note that very few rich liberals inflict urban public schools on their children. They're not fools, after all!
ReplyDeleteGood point about Kamala setting back womankind. She's smart and tough, to be sure, but she's also ambitious and ruthless. Sounds like another Hillary in the making to me!
Jack, I agree that it would have been nice to see Biden patiently and rationally explain why busing is a bad idea. But you're right that, in today's Democratic Party, even a slam-dunk issue like busing is one the party standard bearers will handle with kid gloves. (Wow, three metaphors in one sentence!) Maybe Biden will come back in the next debate with a more convincing answer. I hope so. If nothing else, he ought to let Kamala have it and attack elements of her record too. Then again, maybe we should be rooting for her at this stage. I view her as considerably less electable than Biden.
Dr. Waddy: Oh who will emerge out of this fevered pack, howling and snapping? No matter who, they will be facing a proven President and they will probably be crushed, as they were by the so very disdained Nixon in '72.
ReplyDeleteJack, that seems optimistic to me, but I read the other day that Mondale was once 10 points ahead of Reagan...so it may be too early to write off Trump's chances for a landslide?
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: Sunday's newspaper said Biden caved in in S. Carolina.That's to be expected; he is a typical Dem in his relexive apologies to groups he thinks each member of which to be unassailable. Wonder what Tim Scott,Black Republican Senator from S.C., thinks of that?Had Biden the fortitude of which, understandably he may not be possessed, he might have said" I have been faulted for my accomodation of such as Eastland and Talmadge. What else could I have done in that time in order to advance the causes my total career shows I stand for? It was all I could do in the reality of that era and I challenge any of my critics to show how they could have done better IN THAT SETTING! You could count on me to bring that integrity to office." That he lacks the sand to do so, or really does believe he was wrong, probably defines him and how he would be if elected
ReplyDeleteJack, it was interesting to see Biden back down on that point. Of course, all he really said is "I'm sorry you took it the wrong way," but it's still a climb-down. Presumably his remarks from now on will be carefully scripted, although we all know how good Biden is at sticking to a script! But I agree that Biden would be best off if he stuck to his guns and defended his record and his honor. Weakness doesn't help matters.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy Oh well, why should we wish Biden any advantage? He would willingly destroy us! Let us wish on the Dems those destructive policies, whatever they may be, which are to be expected of them, in hope that they will add to the probability of their deserved permanent eclipse in 2020.
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