Posted September 23, 2007 to Politics | Section Home | Print

CBC: Unleashing Its Power, Within Limits

By Ron Walters

Every year about this time, when the annual weekend gathering of the Congressional Black Caucus arrives, a variety of views are expressed about its record and its competence without understanding that the context within which they operate often does not allow them to act as independent Black Power leaders. In fact, there are several important limitations on Black legislative power both in Washington and at lower levels of government.

First, most Blacks are Democrats, and therefore, legislative power in the body to which they are elected depends upon the number balance between Democrats and Republicans; in other words, which party controls the institution.

Second, in most legislatures, the agenda which governs the session is determined by the House or Senate leadership, such that some times even members of the governing body do not get their pet agendas taken care of.

Third, there is usually a pecking-order that is determined by the power of committee chairs and the seniority of members. Therefore, many members of even a governing party who do not have substantial seniority or an important committee post are vulnerable to not being heard. Fortunately, many Blacks are now becoming part of the leadership in the national and state legislatures because re-election has given them seniority. In this sense, the competing agendas of members may often cancel each other out.

Fourth, if the chief executive (president, governor) is of a party other than those who control the legislative bodies the members will always be weary of the veto. Moreover, members in the House will also be weary of whether votes exist in the Senate that they need to pass legislation up to the chief executive. Right now, for example, U. S. House members need 60 votes in the Senate to pass legislation stopping the war but they have only 52 Democratic votes. So the House has not voted impeachment or stop the war legislation, measures sure to be opposed by Republicans.

Finally, the political context is important because the Democrats are banking on the 2008 elections to give them the White House and 60 Senate votes to govern. In that context, since Blacks are poised as chairs of important committee provides they may have the maximum historical opportunity to "unleash our power." But I do not see how they can do so any time soon.

Despite the fact that the CBC is not all-powerful, they are not impotent and has attempted to service the agenda of those who need government most: the poor, blacks, those without healthcare, without housing, and etc., even within the institutional constraints of a parliamentary body. For example, they have: led the effort to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act, obtained extra funds for Katrina, opposed the War in Iraq, voted against spending for "Surge" in Iraq, 100% supported child health insurance, 100% supported farm bill that aids black farmers and increases child nutrition, supported a jump in Pell Grant for higher education, advocated for the Jena 6 and the release of Genarlow Wilson, supported the passage of Hate Crimes bill, called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and many other things.

This is why it is difficult to assess members in a legislative body on the strength of a one-issue agenda, because this listing shows that overwhelmingly the CBC is on the right side of the Black political table.

Nevertheless, I know people who marched in the 1960s and who will criticize Black legislators, who may vote, but never pick up the phone or go to a meeting to demand accountability to an issue. Some don't even know who their Congressional representative may be or where their office is located. This is important because if you feel that more accountability is required from Black elected officials at any level, then become part of the process that determines how they act. The resources on which any politician depends are: money, votes, campaign volunteers, experts, staff, and etc. As a citizen, you can write members of Congress, show up at CBC sponsored forums, such as the annual Weekend of symposia, regional Institutes, and training sessions, and other events and voice your opinion. From this vantage point, you can advance a more legitimate position about what you feel the CBC (or other Black legislators ) should be doing. But if you just want to criticize without substantive engagement, then keep throwing stones; they will land on shallow ground.

Dr. Ron Walters is the Distinguished Leadership Scholar, Director of the African American Leadership Center and Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park. His latest books are: White Nationalism, Black Interests (Wayne State U. Press); and Freedom Is Not Enough (Rowman and Littlefield)