PrintOctober 5, 2009
What, Me Racist?
I've been called a lot of things in my long political career. But I've never before been called a racist. I'm reminded of Alfred E. Neumann-the crazy, grinning boy on the cover of the old MAD Magazine. His motto was: What, me worry? What, me racist?
How did I manage this unusual trick? Well, two former Presidents-Jimmy Carter and now Bill Clinton-have labeled me such. Why? Because I oppose President Obama's takeover of our health care system. We're celebrating 200 years this December of the great Samuel Johnson who said "patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." Today, Dr. Johnson might say charging racism is the first refuge of liberals.
We all celebrated the election of a black man as President. This was long overdue and something in which all Americans can take justifiable pride. But that very election should have put an end to false and irresponsible charges of racism. We were promised that this President would be a "post-racial President," weren't we? If America were the racist place that Jimmy and Slick Willie charge, Barack Obama would still be a state Senator in Springfield, Illinois.
I oppose President Obama's health care takeover for many reasons. It will require $500 billion in cuts in Medicare. We're told that that will all come from cutting out "waste, fraud, and abuse." Hmmmm. They tell us there's half a trillion dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse in the government's premier social program now, but there won't be any waste, fraud, and abuse when the government has total control of health care? That just doesn't make sense.
How are you going to cut $500 billion out of Medicare without seriously jeopardizing the care American seniors currently get. I believe such cuts will have a disparate impact on poor and elderly minorities. It's certainly strange to get labeled a racist by two wealthy, white Southerners because I voice concern for minority seniors!
I also oppose President Obama's plan because I believe it will give huge federal subsidies for abortion. We know Planned Parenthood's long record of targeting minority communities for abortion. Recently, Lila Rose and other young people exposed Planned Parenthood's racist practices. They offered donations to the nation's largest abortion trafficker if they would be earmarked for minority women. Planned Parenthood's local reps were only too happy to pocket that money. We know that the ratio of black women's abortions to white women is 3:1. Three to one! Every abortion is a tragedy, but when you see such a disparity, you know that something evil is afoot. It's no accident.
Finally, I oppose President Obama's plan because I believe it does not address one of the basic causes of the spike in health care costs: frivolous malpractice suits. Former Gov. Howard Dean is a medical doctor, a former Democratic National Chairman, and an outspoken liberal. But he let the cat out of the bag when he admitted that the real reason the health care plan does not address frivolous malpractice suits is because the party does not want to lean on the powerful trial lawyers' lobby. Such comments-spoken out of hearing of his "handlers"-may be why President Obama asked another governor, Virginia's Tim Kaine, to become the new Democratic National Chairman. Howling Howard was too much of a loose cannon.
President Obama has called for civility in this debate. I'm all for that. And he's dismissed reckless and irresponsible charges of racism among his opponents. He humorously told David Letterman's audience "I was black before the election." Right! Maybe he should invite Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton to the White House for a beer.
Ken Blackwell is a senior fellow at the Family Research Council and a visiting professor at Liberty University School of Law.
Ken Blackwell is a senior fellow at the Family Research Council and a visiting professor at Liberty University School of Law.
