Rep. Barbara Lee Hits Back at Paul Ryan’s Dog-Whistle Politics

[xchrom]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/178824/rep-barbara-lee-hits-back-paul-ryans-dog-whistle-politics



California Representative Barbara Lee responded to Representative Paul Ryan’s Wednesday remarks lambasting “inner city” men for not “learning the value or culture of work.” Her message: we know whom you’re talking about, Mr. Ryan.

In a statement, Representative Lee called out the Wisconsincongressman for invoking dog-whistle politics to support work requirements for benefits. She did not hold back.

“My colleague Congressman Ryan’s comments about ‘inner city’ poverty are a thinly veiled racial attack and cannot be tolerated,” Lee said. “Let’s be clear, when Mr. Ryan says ‘inner city,’ when he says, ‘culture,’ these are simply code words for what he really means: ‘black.’”

Representative Lee added, “Instead of demonizing ‘culture,’ and blaming black men for their poverty, Mr. Ryan should step up and produce some legitimate proposals on how to tackle poverty and racial discrimination in America. His uninformed policy proposals continue to increase poverty, not solve it.”

[riversedge]

1. This career politician needs to GO!!

[Enthusiast]

7. +1 an entire shit load!

[leftyohiolib]

2. no mr ryan it comes from targeting africanamerican people

[ananda]

3. Thank you, Representative Lee!

Well said!

[Scuba]

4. Thank you Barbara Lee!

[myrna minx]

5. Thank you Representative Lee!

[Enthusiast]

6. Paul Ryan has demonstrated that he is completely unfit for office.

[bullwinkle428]

8. Start paying attention to people like Barbara Lee, timid Democrats.

THIS is how you deal with shit like this!!

[DeSwiss]

9. K&R

- She sees right through him, doesn't she?

K&R

[Cali_Democrat]

13. Yes she does!

[Lucky Luciano]

19. not hard to do - he is incredibly transparent. nt

[merrily]

10. Good for Lee.

The one and only member of any party of a 435 member body to vote against the Authorization to Use Military Force. Now, that is a Profile in Courage.

[bkanderson76]

11. Rep. Barbara Lee makes me smile....me likie

[Auggie]

12. Awesome, courageous rep ...

Only member of congress to vote "No" on the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) in 2001. This was the act granting broad powers to W in waging wars that Lee warned had "neither an exit strategy nor a focused target."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Lee

Lee represents California's 13th Congressional District in East San Francisco Bay (Berkeley, Oakland).

[toby jo]

14. Here's to a long career, Ms. Lee.

[Zambero]

15. Paging Paul Ryan

Regarding recent comments made deriding those who are less fortunate, Pope Francis would like to have a word with you...

[pacalo]

16. K&R.

[elzenmahn]

17. She's definitely one we want to keep around...

...no-holds barred is the only thing assholes like Paul Ryan understand and relate to.

[elzenmahn]

18. By the way...

...isn't is amazing how transparent and "hearable" those dog whistles are to the sane people now?

This is what happens when you educate people about what they're really listening to, how to decode language like this, and ultimately, how to tell the See's Candy truffles from bullshit.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

20. Barbara Lee is a braveheart

Paul Ryan is a bought-and-paid-for coward.

K&R

[Jack Rabbit]

21. OK, I'm not crazy

At least I'm not the only one who read it that way.

Note to Mr. Ryan: If you want to be taken seriously and continue to regarded as an "intelligent" spokesman for the right, please stop taking talking points from a couple of bastards who learned about the way the world works while sitting on the knee of a founding member of the John Birch Society. Next thing you know, you'll be telling us Ike was a Communist.

[Chemisse]

23. My exact thoughts when I heard about this

Good job, Rep. Lee for coming right out and saying it.