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Blog No. 30. A Good Day at the White House: “My Brother’s Keeper” and Food Labeling.

The Obama Administration has not had many good days in quite a while, and with the arrival of the crisis in Ukraine, it may not have many for some time. Yet last Thursday, February 27, just before Vladimir Putin invaded Crimea, it was a day at the White House that deserves to be remembered with favorable nods to both the President and First Lady.

For his part, President Obama spoke eloquently of the circumstances of black and Hispanic young men and announced a new initiative, “My Brother’s Keeper,” to address those circumstances. Later that day, Michelle Obama appeared with the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to announce proposed new rules for food labeling, a project that she had been working on for several years. Each announcement, we believe, was one that Republicans can applaud (or at least quietly approve).Read More »Blog No. 30. A Good Day at the White House: “My Brother’s Keeper” and Food Labeling.

Special Bulletin: The Zimmerman Acquittal

Today’s plan had been to publish Blog No. 6, Part II, The Voting Rights Act and the Challenge before Congress. But in light of the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial, and the reactions it produced, it seemed appropriate first to comment briefly on that case. The Voting Rights Act blog will be published later this week.

Reactions to the acquittal of George Zimmerman demonstrated once again the depth of the racial tensions with which we continue to struggle. Protests against the acquittal as racist are almost certainly mistaken: the forensic evidence was conflicting and ambiguous; what little eyewitness testimony there was seemed on balance to favor Zimmerman; the crucial details of the last moments of the fatal encounter remain shrouded in mystery. In short, the prosecution was unable to rebut Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense. Under those circumstances it is difficult to see how a jury could have found guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, irrespective of the race of the participants. (And contrary to some comment, Florida’s controversial Stand Your Ground law did not appear to play any role in the verdict.)Read More »Special Bulletin: The Zimmerman Acquittal

Blog No. 6 The Supreme Court, Republicans and Race. PART I, Race As a Factor in College Admissions

Issues involving race often provoke strong emotions that make them difficult to discuss. Republicans know that difficulty full well. Although, as we sometimes remind ourselves, our party is “The Party of Lincoln,” we are too often seen as insensitive or even hostile to the rights and aspirations of minorities. Needless to say, Democrats work hard to reinforce that impression and it is an impression that can be costly at the ballot box. Taking thoughtful and constructive positions on racial issues is not only an ingredient of responsible governance, but clearly has electoral consequences. As conservative columnist Ross Douthat recently wrote:Read More »Blog No. 6 The Supreme Court, Republicans and Race. PART I, Race As a Factor in College Admissions