Wingnut congresscritter defends committee chairs all being white males...

[Archae]

By saying absolutely nothing, of course, with lots of words.

(Politico) House Majority Whip Steve Scalise on Wednesday defended the GOP’s lack of women lawmakers as committee chairs in the new Congress. SCALISE: “Obviously, we have a number of other women that are very talented as part of our conference leadership. But if you look at this new class, especially, such a great, new, diverse group of members, with great backgrounds, too. And they’re going to come and, I think, and give us a really strong boost in the new Congress."

http://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2014/11/house-gop-whip-scalise-defends-all

[Man from Pickens]

1. Need to put the brakes on this white-male stigmatization

If you hadn't noticed, the party got absolutely wrecked in the white male demographic, with the trend strongly against us. Pointing out that the chairs are white males sends a message that the Democratic Party specifically doesn't like white males. Makes it a really tough sell trying to overcome these election results.

Nobody had a problem with white male Harry Reid running the Senate. Try this instead: the real problem is that they're all Republicans. And that is not going to change by giving the impression that there is something unfixably wrong with being a white male.

[LeftyMom]

3. .

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Or ...

Pointing out that the chairs are white males sends a message that the Democratic Party specifically doesn't like white males.

The message COULD be interpreted, not as any anti-white male message; but rather, as the republican's out reach to non-white/non-males is failing miserably.

Nobody had a problem with white male Harry Reid running the Senate.

Might that be because, 1) He has some non-white/non-males on his leadership team; but more, 2) because he (and his Party) doesn't have a reputation of being hostile to non-white/non-males.

[Scuba]

8. Good response, thanks.

[hifiguy]

5. Speaking as a middle-aged straight white male

who happens to be a Democratic Socialist, I think the real problem is with the cave troll mindset of so many others in the demographic. You sure you're on the right board, Tex?

[Man from Pickens]

10. If race- and gender-based attacks are considered acceptable

then maybe not.

The high road is arguments on policy.

The gutter on the low road is arguing about what color and gender people are.

I take only high roads. If you prefer the low one, have a nice trip, send a postcard.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. How is noting the complete absence of ...

women and PoC on the leadership team of a Party/group that has very publicly expressed a need to do better outreach to women and PoC, an attack on white men?

[Man from Pickens]

14. The calling-out implies it's a problem to be white and male

After all, if it's not a problem, why call it out?

I can't believe I'm the only one who can see the horrible. offensive, gutter politics involved in these tactics. If it were any other race or gender being called out like this, it would cause an uproar.

But regardless if one sees it or not, the consequences are so very real:
http://politicalwire.com/2014/11/06/white-men-were-the-decisive-vote/

This is a 37% share of the electorate we're talking about. Offending even a small percentage of them with these types of tactics is electoral suicide. And what votes are won by these tactics? None that weren't already on board. It's a political loser, and it does serious damage to the Democratic Party.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. Doesn't that 37% number suggest to you ...

that your brethren are seeking to maintain the racial/gender status quo that has locked out everyone else? Isn't/shouldn't that be a problem?

But take heart ... In two years, the white males that abandoned the Democratic Party will not have to play on the same team as the Black guy.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. there is something wrong when leadership is all white and all male.

[BronxBoy]

18. High Roads have never moved.....

the "angry White male" demographic to do a damn thing to advance racial and sexual progress in this country. The "angry White male" demographic has made a it a practice to take the low road and to demean people on the basis of color and gender.

If you don't understand that, I'm sure there are plenty of folks here who can clue you in

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. lol

[tenderfoot]

17. Oh, the poor put upon white man....

[Rex]

19. Nobody said there was something wrong with being a white male, but you know that already.

We said there is a problem when ALL the seats are held by white men...nice try, I will give you a sold B for effort.

[LostInAnomie]

21. Haha... not on this board.

Identy politics rules all.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Wake-up Folks

This was the end game of the Rethugs all along. Keep harping about OPTICS. When you deal with a Wonk Social Group or the Old White Guy Group and you want to justify getting reelected this is the end game. The Rethugs learned via focus groups(Frank Luntz)what sells and what does not. Millions have been spent on consultants to prove this as fact and the Thugs are going to continue to focus on Whitie and F---- anyone who isn't white. Payback to Koch Bros,Chamber of Commerce,right wing Media, and of course the Wing Nut Churches. All for the most part are White Male dominated organizations.

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Well, in all fairness,

Scalise did perform a rather spot-on channeling of a distaff Republican as he blathered a word-salad worthy of Ms. Palin herself . . .

[Scuba]

7. In Republican circles "diverse" means some of the white guys are bald.

[1StrongBlackMan]

13. Or, fat ...

well ... fit, really.

[LondonReign2]

11. Give them a break

First, there are only while male members in the Republican House, so they didn't have much choice, did they?

And if there do happen to be womenfolk or people of color around, these guys assume they are the help.

[k2qb3]

20. I'm confused.

Is the speaker of the house not a person of color?

Is orange not a color?

[hifiguy]

22. I am not sure that Captain Bourbonaotor's orange

is one found in nature.