As former Vice President Joe Biden continues to chase Donald Trump around the country, a sign that this race might be closer*, he has yet another issue to deal with regarding unifying his base: what to do about Wall Street. You see, the progressive Left’s ‘no Wall Street’ folks pledge regarding cabinet positions is rubbing Black Democrats the wrong way. They don’t want a purity test on this front, noting that it actually hurts the Democrats’ initiative for more diversity (via Politico):
Black Democrats are urging Joe Biden to resist growing pressure from the left to impose an anti-Wall Street purity test on his hiring decisions if elected, warning that it threatens the party’s desire to boost diversity in powerful executive branch posts.
Progressives have been calling on Biden to take a hard line in filling out his Cabinet, with groups such as Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement demanding that he pledge to appoint “zero” current or former Wall Street executives or corporate lobbyists to his administration.
But Black Democrats on Capitol Hill and on K Street say that’s in direct conflict with the party’s overarching diversity goals and would keep many people of color, including those with ties to the financial world, from ascending to key positions long dominated by white males.
“We’ve got to fix all of the problems that were created over the last four years,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), a senior lawmaker on the House Financial Services Committee and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. “We’re going to need every hand on deck.”
Well, obviously, there’s a blind spot regarding the problems over the past four years in which the economy has boomed and it is roaring back as we speak. Over 10 million jobs have been created in four months; we’ve recovered half of the jobs lost over the COVID pandemic. Trump’s slogan right now should be 're-elect me to finish the job' because there appears to be no sign of this growth dissipating. Biden cannot make that argument because he took the day off again today.
Still, this tension between the Left and the black Democrats shows once again why this critical slice of the Democratic Party did not veer into Bernie Sanders’ camp during the primaries. They’re not all that radical. Hardcore liberals? Yeah, there’s plenty bunched in there, but certainly not part of this overall Marxist mindset. And yes, Black Lives Matter’s mission statement has far-left cultural initiatives peppered into their mission statement, but that movement is being taken over by white liberals—the most insufferable bunch of all. This fight represents yet another instance where Biden has issues in his camp and these folks are likely to sit out if they feel a certain ideological aspect is not met. For the progressive Left, it could be because black business leaders might be considered for cabinet positions.
These people really know the hills to die on, right? Geez. Good for us, though. Please, hardcore Democrats, stay home on Election Day.
*Thanks to the media that keeps peddling registered voter polling.
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