Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever!

“Segregation now, Segregation tomorrow, Segregation forever!“

http://youtu.be/hLLDn7MjbF0

If you think America is a true melting pot, you would be the perfect customer for PT Barnum’s, “There’s a sucker is born every minute.” Better yet and more relevant, you might be the person who would sign-up for Donald Trumps Enterprise (University) Institute and actually believe you will finish the lecture program equipped to become a millionaire. That is until you realize the full scope of the institute’s charges and your real prospects of quick millions; you have been “had.” 

OK, let’s assume you are not a Barnum or Trump “mark.” Have you thought of the nation as a fair and balanced for all regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or social economic status? If you have read through the previous verbiage, you should have been taken to a place that you really already know. A place you would rather not admit publicly. 

Let’s face it, if you are reading here you are not a right-wing ideologue, probably not a far-right libertarian; and you may consider yourself an independent or progressive moderate. We define moderate progressive, or those who will claim such, people who would not hesitate to ignore the past and vote for a GOP ticket based on candidate charisma. Charisma would have to be the decision-point as no GOP candidate can even remotely claim: “The GOP is good for the nation.“ Of course, any candidate can claim such, but no GOP candidate can display data that would back-up the claim. 

Now that we have set a few parameters, let’s work at real divides across the nation that manifest as dangerous as non-nuclear enemy of the state. An enemy that can best be described as demographic and social gaps that pull at national cohesiveness.

Between October 17th-20th, ABC News/FUSION via Langer Research Associates conducted a poll that revealed stark gaps in how a respondent group 1,002 adults viewed matters of race and gender in politics within the survey construct of partisan politics and political ideology.

ABC NEWS/FUSION POLL (Langer Research Associates)
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE (full survey results pdf)

METHODOLOGY – This ABC News/Fusion poll was conducted by telephone Oct. 17-20, 2013, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,002 adults, including landline and cell-phone-only respondents. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points, including design effect. 5 

The linked results and the following key excerpts cast a very dim light on the prospects of a collective synergy for the good of the nation.

• Among all adults, 53 percent think women have fewer opportunities than men in the workplace. But that ranges from 68 percent of Democrats to 38 percent of Republicans, a difference of 30 percentage points. Comparing the most unlike groups, liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans, it’s 76 vs. 35 percent. 

• Forty-one percent overall think nonwhites have fewer opportunities than whites in society. Fifty-six percent of Democrats say so, as do 62 percent of liberal Democrats (more than the number of nonwhites themselves who say so, 51 percent). Among Republicans that dives to 25 percent. 

• Forty-three percent of Americans say it would be a good thing if more women were elected to Congress – but the range here is from six in 10 Democrats and liberals alike to just 26 percent of conservatives and 23 percent of Republicans. Instead two-thirds or more in these latter two groups say it makes no difference to them. 

• Just 23 percent overall say it would be a good thing if more nonwhites were elected to Congress; 73 percent instead say it makes no difference to them. Seeing this as a good thing peaks at 50 percent among liberal Democrats (far more, in this case, than the number of nonwhites themselves who say so, 29 percent). Among conservative Republicans, it’s 5 percent. 

• Thirty-nine percent of adults say they trust the government in Washington to do what’s right; six in 10 don’t. Apparently reflecting views of the Obama administration, trust peaks at 62 percent of Democrats, as many liberals and 69 percent of liberal Democrats. Just a quarter of Republicans and conservatives, and 18 percent of conservative Republicans, feel the same. 

• Support for legal status for undocumented immigrants, 51 percent overall, ranges from 77 percent among liberal Democrats to 32 percent among conservative Republicans. Views on this issue also show sharp differences among other groups – for example, nonwhites vs. whites, 70 vs. 43 percent; and adults younger than 40 vs. their elders, 61 vs. 47 percent. 

• Fewer than half of all adults, 45 percent, say political leaders should rely somewhat or a great deal on their religious beliefs when making policy decisions. But again the range is wide: Six in 10 conservatives, as many Republicans and 65 percent of conservative Republicans hold this view. That falls sharply to 39 percent of Democrats and independents alike, four in 10 moderates and 32 percent of liberals.

Since the ABC Survey identified major social gaps among a group of 1,002 adults, and with consideration of the number as s small sample, it is worthwhile to see demographics of the 113th Congress. 

The 113th Congress was touted as being the most diverse Congress in US history; at least for 20 women sworn in to the US Senate in January of this year. Diversity in the 113th Congress remains a bastion of the white male, and it seems incumbents feel that is no problem. Since, a more diverse Senate and House could mean fewer seats for white males, a case could be made for self-preservation. But, the issue is far more serious than a seat on the most “do nothing” Congress in US History.

www.huffingtonpost.com

If we accept the premise that more minority representation in the federal legislature, we are subscribing to a tenet of diversity obviously not shared by many. Since the 113th Congress (as all before) remains overwhelmingly white male we can assume that 5% of conservative republicans feel a more diverse congress is echoed across the greater GOP. 

If the nation’s legislators are significantly influenced by the Far-Right and Far-Left political ideologues, can we actually ever expect those legislators to find cause for social healing? Politics has contributed greatly to the social gaps, politicians should be charged with reversing the deleterious gaps promulgated to win elections.

You might ask, why is diversity in Congress even an issue? If you think as such, realize the nation is very ethnically, racially, gender diverse. We are seeing irrefutable evidence diversity is increasing as time passes and sometime in the 22nd Century whites will no longer populate as the nation’s majority.

Current congressional representation demographics and congressional districts maps are sadly revealing, if you care about fair and balanced representation as an American. 

If after viewing the Atlantic Cities maps, you remain one who feels race and ethnicity (and gender) in congress makes little to no difference, we suspect you are from the majority population. While living the majority population is not a crime, being a denizen of the majority population group has conferred privileges not shared with other demographic groups. It is unfortunate, but as we look at the focus of the 112th Congress and 113th Congress people who live as minorities, women, LGBT and poor in America do not get a fair shake from a government to which each group pay taxes.

We cannot hope to secure congressional seats for the chronically poor, but we, as a nation, should feel opportunity to affect demographic change in Congress. Demographic change that could lead to a fair and balanced life for the under-represented in the United States. 

Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever!