Progressive Minds

This January, I watched with pride as Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH) helped lead a challenge to the Congressional certification of Ohio's electors. Because of Rep. Tubbs Jones' conviction, the House and the Senate were forced to debate the problems that Ohio voters (many of them African-American) experienced in last November's election.

Recently, I've watched as Representative John Conyers (D-MI) has held hearings on everything from the Downing Street Memo to media bias. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has continued to fight for congressional representation for the citizens of D.C. And Representative Cnythia McKinney (D-GA) is holding hearings on September 11, and specifically what the Bush administration knew leading up to the attacks.

So what do these outstanding patriots all have in common? They are members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). And it has occured to me that not only are they the conscience of the Democratic Party. They are the conscience of this entire country as well.

The CBC has proven time and again that they have what it takes to speak truth to power; to speak truth to an administration that doesn't believe it is accountable to the American people.

During a Presidential debate last year, George Bush was asked about affirmative action. In his response, he talked of having met with members of the CBC. And the CBC was quick to set the record straight!

They had been fustrated by Bush's refusal to meet with them. So they called White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card to tell him they were on their way. They boarded a van and went to the White House. They were greeted by Colin Powell and Condi Rice, and were told Bush was not at the White House. After members of the CBC warned they would not leave until they met with Bush, he miraculously appeared 15 minutes later!

The conviction and leadership of the CBC is a true profile in country that the national Democratic Party would do well to emulate.