Robert Reich: "I have nothing against white male construction workers"

Showing once again how fine the line is between "progressive" and "outright anti-white racist", former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich said this in his congressional testimony on January 7 (video at the link):

I am concerned, as I’m sure many of you are, that these jobs not simply go to high-skilled people who are already professionals or to white male construction workers. … I have nothing against white male construction workers. I’m just saying that there are a lot of other people who have needs as well. … Criteria can be set so that the money does go to others, the long term unemployed minorities, women, people who are not necessarily construction workers or high-skilled professionals.

Switching the races/genders around to help "progressives" and "liberals" see the problem with his ideas is left as an exercise.

Note also, of course, that many low-skilled construction workers are illegal aliens from Mexico, and the corrupt Mexican government would be a major beneficiary under Reich's plan as it would keep many of their nationals employed in the U.S. and sending money home to Mexico. Perhaps Reich should reconsider his citizenship options.

UPDATE: See also "Obama adviser: White males need not apply" (link). His closeness to Obama isn't known; a search at change.gov and barackobama.com doesn't show much, but he's identified as an advisor to Obama here among other places, and the included image is from here and was taken July 28, 2008. I also included a video which suffers from sensationalism but which is currently burning up Youtube's politics front page.

UPDATE 2: Apparently I'm a nobody! On January 24, Riech posted " An Open Letter to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michelle Malkin" about this incident (robertreich.blogspot.com/2009/01/open-letter-to-rush-limbaugh-sean.html). The last responds here. If he'd included me in the list, I would have read his letter and responded, but since he didn't I won't.

Thu, 01/22/2009 - 11:55 · Importance: 4