Jack & Jill Politics

Instead?

I actually got the idea from my colleague’s post.

While I’m not advocating removal of some of these CBC members because they support Hillary Clinton, I am advocating their removal when they consistently insist that they are representing their constituents’ best interests by selling them out for pennies on the dollar.

In case you don’t know, I am part of a team that does extensive research and monitoring of the CBC’s voting activity on legislation that either benefits the communities they serve, or screws them over. It’s called the CBC Monitor Report Card. Now that I blog here at JJP, readers will get these Report Cards hot off the press.

I received an email last night asking what we can do to facilitate primary challenges and support those candidates with progressive agendas. The CBC Monitor Report Card is one avenue of doing that. When constituents can actually see how their representative is voting more GOP than the actual GOP (especially if they ran on a progressive platform), that is a more informed voter who will make a more informed choice when he/she casts that ballot.

If house cleaning of the Congressional Black Caucus is going to be done in order to get more responsive, progressive African-American representation, it has to be done in a manner that does not allow for the CBC to point fingers and accuse people of simply “just hating on them”. While many CBC members don’t personally like me (in fact, the male members, save for Reps. John Conyers, Keith Ellison, Bobby Scott and former Rep. Major Owens, flat out hate me because I am not a willing piece of a–) whenever I call about the Report Card, my phone calls either get taken on the spot, or I get a return call or email within the hour.

I don’t say that to brag – I say that to let you know that the CBC takes the work of CBCMonitor and Black Agenda Report VERY SERIOUSLY.

Donna Edwards is going to be the next Congresswoman from Maryland in November. She replaces former Rep. Al Wynn, and for good reason. She used the information in the CBCMonitor Report Cards to eviscerate Wynn in the 2006 election debates (when she garnered 48% of the vote after entering the race six months before the election).

Wynn’s response after a piss-poor showing back in 2006 was to have one of his campaign workers start a brawl with one of Donna’s supporters, a 70-year old brotha.

I’m told old bruh broke out his can of whip ass on the Wynn Supporter.

This year, Donna Edwards succeeds in taking Wynn out of Congress. Her victory sent shock waves through the CBC. And you know what was their response?

They got upset and whined because the SEIU threw a truckload of money behind Donna. Of course, she was armed with another CBCMonitor Report Card.

As far back as 2006, when the Report Card started getting a little steam, three other CBC members received primary challengers; Edolphus Towns (NY), David Scott (GA), and William Jefferson (LA).

Don’t take my word for it. I’ve provided a link so you can see for yourself.

I’m also providing a link to the recent report card, published February 2008 as well.

As my mother always said, “The proof is in the pudding.” Well, I’ve provided the proof – now if you’re serious about cleaning house, it’s time to strategize, organize, implement and execute a plan that at the very least, sends a message to the CBC that we’re through playing with them and they can either crap or get off the pot when it comes to our communities, our issues and our representation on the Hill.