Breaking News: Another Rep. Complains About Treatment of Women in Hispanic Caucus

[babylonsister]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2583.html

Breaking News: Another Rep. Complains About Treatment of Women in Hispanic Caucus

By: Josephine Hearn
February 1, 2007 12:56 PM EST

Democratic Rep. Hilda L. Solis of California is releasing this statement in response to a complaint that the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called Rep. Loretta Sanchez a "whore."

"I share Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's sentiment about the lack of respect afforded to women members of the Hispanic Caucus. If the Hispanic Caucus is to be truly representative of the Latino community, it must give equal treatment to all its members, regardless of gender or seniority.

"I continue to be very concerned about the operation of BOLD-PAC, the Caucus' campaign arm. I withdrew from the PAC last year because it was moving away from its mission of electing Hispanic Congressional candidates by allowing contributions to Hispanic Caucus relatives running for local and state office. The PAC's recently revised by-laws continue to allow this practice. At a time when the public is crying out for a more ethical government, we should be taking every step to avoid any appearance of preferential treatment for relatives.

"We must address these issues and resolve them as soon as possible so we can continue fighting for the rights and the ell being of the Latino community, as is the mission of the Caucus."

[Greeby]

1. Don't tell me it's all gonna fall apart after four weeks

:(

[WatchWhatISay]

3. All gonna fall apart? Dont you think thats a little extreme?

This is a problem that definitely needs to be addressed, but it sounds more like one mans problem to me.

[peacetalksforall]

6. We've been put on alert about the man whose running this - that's.

all. There is nothing wrong for two women to tell it like it is in hopes of circumventing further damage. This guy sounds like he is more than macho and possibly devious. Definitely uncouth. If you can pinpoint a problem, it's not the collapse of anything, yet.

You can be sure that Republicans don't like these little activist groups in the Democartic Party - they can't do the same. They can only divide into fanatical born-agains, moderate born-agains, and pretend born-agains.

[murielm99]

2. Is someone trying

to destroy the minority caucuses?

I know that some repuke called for them to disband recently.

I can't take any of the news at face value any more. What is going on?

[babylonsister]

4. Dems eating their own. This was from yesterday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2711220&mesg_id=2711220

[aquart]

8. Dems cleaning house.

We're not waiting for the Republicans to tell us what's wrong.

And please, let's not pretend we have no bad apples, let's just get them out of the barrel.

[babylonsister]

9. Fair enough. I like how you're looking at it better than my

knee-jerk reaction anyway. :hi:

[fidgeting wildly]

17. I like your perspective. And I hope you're right.

I would rather the bad apples surface now so that we can deal with them swiftly.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Yes. It is obvios by the timing of these incidents that Tom Tancredo

is behind this. ;)

[no_hypocrisy]

5. While I generally consider the congress critters on the whole as "whores",

I believe this employment of the term was to put Rep. Sanchez in her place, under the supposition that women are inferior to men. I know, I know, in many hispanic cultures, this is an imbedded, traditional view of woman. But considering it's 2007, it's the United States, and further it's the House (caucuses be damned), it's inexcusable. What if a male member of the black caucus called Maxine Waters the N-word or a black bitch?

This has to be addressed, and it can't be permitted to be viewed as acceptable in the future.

[musiclawyer]

7. If their leader is a jerk, get him out of there

On the other hand, I personally think ethnicity based caucuses are outmoded. If Solis and Sanchez have some good ideas that will inure to their constituents, and they agree on them, let them work together , caucus be damned.

[Bridget Burke]

10. Tom Tancredo agrees with you....

About "ethnicity based caucuses."

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. If Tancredo switched his position, would you automatically take the opposite?

Are you opposed to an increase in the minimum wage because Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is in favor of it?

[Bridget Burke]

16. No.

Here's a list of the current Congressional Caucuses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucuses_of_the_United_States_Congress

Tancredo just wants to get rid of "certain" ones. He's a racist & xenophobe. And also wants his party's Presidential nomination!

[musiclawyer]

13. Tancredo is batshit crazy

but these caucuses should not be off-limits. If they are not having the desired efficacy, then the good congress people should be grown up enough to navigate on their own, and not be agraid to say goodby. Sanchez did it. I wish her well.

[Bridget Burke]

15. Sounds as though the Hispanic Caucus needs to do some house cleaning.

And it appears they are ready to do it--themselves.

Tancredo wants to abolish the ethnic-based caucuses. Because he's batshit crazy--as you said.

[mitchtv]

18. Sounds like Baca just bought himself

a primary challenge. God, I hope so. Baca hasn't kept in step with his district,

[mitchtv]

14. Time for Joe Baca

to go.

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. I mean, really, who didn't expect to find machismo in an Hispanic Caucus?

These ladies have a real beef to deal with. There's a clash of cultures here, and I certainly hope they prevail.