CBC should STFU

Is it me, or is the Congressional Black Caucus really jumpin' stupid right now?

Some members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) are disappointed President-elect Obama did not appoint more African-Americans to his Cabinet.

... Another senior member of the CBC who requested anonymity said more pointedly that Obama “isn’t doing enough for the black folks.”

... Rep. Danny Davis said that while the raw demographics definitely caught the CBC by surprise and have caused eyebrows to be raised, the bigger problem may come in the policy implications for blacks across the country.

“People I’ve talked to have expressed that they were hoping to have seen a few more African-Americans in place, and in places where you can pinpoint needs,” Davis said, citing specifically the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development.

This, of course, presumes that no one other than a black person would be devoted to chipping away at important issues like education, health care and affordable housing. To say nothing of the fact that those are issues that affect a broad coalition of Americans, not just black people.

If Obama and Co. had completely shut black people out of his administration, perhaps the CBC would have a legitimate gripe. But Obama has brought in Eric Holder, Susan Rice, Lisa Jackson and Ron Kirk (a personal favorite of mine, as a former Dallas resident) among his 20 appointees.

I'm curious to know how many black Cabinet members would have been enough for the CBC. Five, six, or 19? As of now, the CBC is rivaled in stupidity only by those critics who claim Obama hasn't tabbed enough Southerners for his Cabinet.

This is such an antiquated, simple-minded view of inclusion that it doesn't merit a response from the Obama camp. In the manner of embattled Illinois Gov. Blagojevich, all Obama should show the CBC is appreciation. And that's it. He's got actual work to do.

In the meantime, the CBC should look inward and address its own diversity issues.