Is Affirmative Action on the Rocks at the RNC?
http://www.aframnews.com/html/interspire/articles/509/1/Is-Affirmative-Action-on-the-Rocks-at-the-RNC/Page1.html
William Reed
By William Reed
Published on 06/2/2009
The thought was that the Republican National Committee’s “Affirmative Action” would be an example of the party retooling its image, message and appeal to young voters and minorities. But the RNC’s election of Michael S. Steele as Chairman of national political operations is now under question, and the concept of “affirmative action” given another set-back. The nation’s affirmative action incentive is to promote equal opportunity “toward maximizing diversity, along with its perceived benefits, in all levels of society”. As the 63rd chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), and the first African-American, Michael Steele is among the highest levels of America’s political industry.
The thought was that the Republican National Committee’s “Affirmative Action” would be an example of the party retooling its image, message and appeal to young voters and minorities. But the RNC’s election of Michael S. Steele as Chairman of national political operations is now under question, and the concept of “affirmative action” given another set-back. The nation’s affirmative action incentive is to promote equal opportunity “toward maximizing diversity, along with its perceived benefits, in all levels of society”. As the 63rd chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), and the first African-American, Michael Steele is among the highest levels of America’s political industry.
The RNC provides the party’s national leadership. The Office of the Chairman is responsible for developing and promoting the political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. The RNC is a 168-member body comprised of the chairs of each state committee. Steele has the background regarding responsibilities of the GOP’s top job. He has been chair of a Maryland county committee and the state committee. He headed GOPAC, a major organization focused on recruiting Republican candidates to run races at state and local levels. But questions now abound regarding Steele’s management and decision-making. When he took over at the RNC Steele brought in his personal assistant from other jobs. It raised eyebrows of the RNC when the body learned Steele gave her $85,615 a year, a salary nearly three times the $29,240.88 her predecessor made. Mr. Steele hired another prior associate, Angela Sailor, to be the party’s outreach director at a salary of $180,000, more than double her predecessor’s compensation, though new responsibilities have been added to the job. Republican state party chairs cited “cronyism” and instigated confrontation over who controls the party’s purse strings to the point that Steele relinquished some controls.
Instead of carrying forth the banner of affirmative action, Steele & Company are now “in the weeds” fighting off questions about his management style and decision making. “These salaries are way out of line for what staff should be paid for working for a political party, which most of us think of as a cause,” said Hawaii Republican Party Chairman Willis Lee. The “outreach position” has long been a cause of consternation among the GOP. Ms. Sailor’s salary is $97,000 more than the $83,000 a-year paycheck the previous outreach director, Shannon Reeves, another African American received. The Outreach Director is responsible for increasing the presence of minorities in the party, but based on results toward that goal to date, RNC members have reason to question why Ms. Sailor’s salary is more than that of the second-highest ranking elected official on the committee, Co-Chairman Jan Larimer, who makes about $140,000?
Before mob-action to force his resignation, it can’t yet be officially said that Steele has squandered his time in the seat. When he was elected RNC Chairman in January, one of the major concerns in the professional political class was whether he could raise the sort of money to keep the RNC competitive. Fundraising has been Steele’s strong suit. The RNC has outpaced the DNC in campaign contributions the first four months of this year. The RNC raised $31 million in the first third of 2009, compared to the DNC’s $22.3 million. Steele’s RNC raised almost $5.8 million in April and ended the month with $24.4 million on hand.
Whether Steele’s chairmanship records as the RNC’s “affirmative action success story”, or its “faux pas”, remains to be seen, but it should not be perceived as sufficient redress to party discrimination toward blacks. With, or without Steele, the Republican Party is not close to serious competition with Democrats for African American votes. Blacks are not on the GOP’s A-list and its single digit performances among African Americans in two of the last three presidential elections are emblematic of a party with serious outreach problems. Michael Steele’s tenure has not been a boon for the black image in the party and unlikely to bring about a change needed in Republican leadership’s mindsets.
The RNC provides the party’s national leadership. The Office of the Chairman is responsible for developing and promoting the political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. The RNC is a 168-member body comprised of the chairs of each state committee. Steele has the background regarding responsibilities of the GOP’s top job. He has been chair of a Maryland county committee and the state committee. He headed GOPAC, a major organization focused on recruiting Republican candidates to run races at state and local levels. But questions now abound regarding Steele’s management and decision-making. When he took over at the RNC Steele brought in his personal assistant from other jobs. It raised eyebrows of the RNC when the body learned Steele gave her $85,615 a year, a salary nearly three times the $29,240.88 her predecessor made. Mr. Steele hired another prior associate, Angela Sailor, to be the party’s outreach director at a salary of $180,000, more than double her predecessor’s compensation, though new responsibilities have been added to the job. Republican state party chairs cited “cronyism” and instigated confrontation over who controls the party’s purse strings to the point that Steele relinquished some controls.
Instead of carrying forth the banner of affirmative action, Steele & Company are now “in the weeds” fighting off questions about his management style and decision making. “These salaries are way out of line for what staff should be paid for working for a political party, which most of us think of as a cause,” said Hawaii Republican Party Chairman Willis Lee. The “outreach position” has long been a cause of consternation among the GOP. Ms. Sailor’s salary is $97,000 more than the $83,000 a-year paycheck the previous outreach director, Shannon Reeves, another African American received. The Outreach Director is responsible for increasing the presence of minorities in the party, but based on results toward that goal to date, RNC members have reason to question why Ms. Sailor’s salary is more than that of the second-highest ranking elected official on the committee, Co-Chairman Jan Larimer, who makes about $140,000?
Before mob-action to force his resignation, it can’t yet be officially said that Steele has squandered his time in the seat. When he was elected RNC Chairman in January, one of the major concerns in the professional political class was whether he could raise the sort of money to keep the RNC competitive. Fundraising has been Steele’s strong suit. The RNC has outpaced the DNC in campaign contributions the first four months of this year. The RNC raised $31 million in the first third of 2009, compared to the DNC’s $22.3 million. Steele’s RNC raised almost $5.8 million in April and ended the month with $24.4 million on hand.
Whether Steele’s chairmanship records as the RNC’s “affirmative action success story”, or its “faux pas”, remains to be seen, but it should not be perceived as sufficient redress to party discrimination toward blacks. With, or without Steele, the Republican Party is not close to serious competition with Democrats for African American votes. Blacks are not on the GOP’s A-list and its single digit performances among African Americans in two of the last three presidential elections are emblematic of a party with serious outreach problems. Michael Steele’s tenure has not been a boon for the black image in the party and unlikely to bring about a change needed in Republican leadership’s mindsets.