Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumThe discussion of Biden and school desegregation is missing context
What people don't seem to realize about politicians is that their "views" on various topics are more frequently driven by the necessities of maintaining office than any particular principles.
The University of Delaware did not admit black students until 1971. Biden graduated in 1965. Prior to that, despite the "hardscrabble roots" story, by the time his father was running a successful auto dealership in Wilmington, Biden attended what is, for this area, a relatively upscale private school.
After the assassination of MLK Jr., the upheaval in Wilmington led to the longest military occupation of a US city since the civil war. Longstanding redlining practices strictly segregated the neighborhoods of New Castle County generally. For most of white suburban New Castle County, African Americans simply did not exist in their neighborhoods, parks or stores.
(one thing to understand about Delaware is that while it consists of three counties, there northern county of New Castle is by far the most populous, and is essentially a proxy for "greater Wilmington" )
While a 1954 court decision required the desegregation of Delaware's schools, this was easily routed-around by the creation of separate school districts which tracked the boundaries of racially-segregated communities in New Castle County.
Biden was elected in a post-Watergate Democratic wave against a doddering incumbent. Holding that seat, in a state which straddles the Mason Dixon Line, was almost immediately challenged by the law catching up to the area's dodge of effective desegregation in the 1950's and 1960's. Filed in 1971, the case of Evans v. Buchanan, addressing Delaware's continued de-facto segregation, became a piece of civil litigation trench warfare which, after various appeals, remands and protracted attempts to resolve, eventually resulted in virtually direct administration of the New Castle County schools by the US District Court of Delaware.
There was no way that Joe Biden was going to be re-elected in 1978 without his usual attempt to be all things to everyone on the issue of school desegregation in New Castle County.
Whatever Joe Biden may personally believe about de-facto segregation caused by decades of redlining, or of busing as a remedy to that segregation, I can guarantee you that the only person who knows what that might be is Joe Biden. Going by any statements he made in the 1970's in order to fancy dance around taking a definable position for the purpose of being able to get enough Delaware voters he was marginally enough on their side, is an exercise in attempting to nail Jell-O to a wall.
Like his advocacy of an anti flag-desecration law in order to "protect the flag" or to prevent support for a Constitutional amendment gaining credible steam, it is one of those instances - and there are many - of Joe believing he has found some genius compromise position that allows him to wink and smile at people on either side to convey the impression he is on their side.
Joe is a good politician. A philosopher-king he is not.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
underpants
(182,276 posts)I think now hes seen as being on the wrong side of history BUT there are important questions here, did busing work? Do we still do it?
I remember seeing people yelling at school buses (we saw it again not too long ago too but thats different) on the news as a kid. I didnt understand what was going on but it did seem to be very heavy handed to me - forcing kids to go to school on the other side of town.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
True Blue American
(17,972 posts)Was ruled unconstitutional. Hare brained idea of Congress. I was in that battle,along with many black neighbors.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
underpants
(182,276 posts)Desegregation and busing. What and how.
I think Joe was smart to go that route as it could very well be seen as mansplaining or overbearing. He demurred a lot last night NOT playing certain notes as they say.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Meadowoak
(5,517 posts)We lived in the suburbs of Detroit. I was to be bussed an hour and a half from my home, to one of the worst parts of the inner city. This was just a couple of years after the Detroit race riots and racial tensions were high. My parents weren't racist, but they bought a house in a good school district so I could get a good education. Now I was about to be sent to one of the worst schools in Detroit. They planned to send me to live with relatives down south had busing gone through. Also, I remember, they told us in school, if we had to be bussed, the district couldn't afford the busses, gas and maintenance and that our parents would get a monthly bill. I doubt that would have been legal, but that's what our school principal told us.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)I supported busing. But, I did demand equal schools, boundaries to be drawn to ensure desegregation and quality schools for all, etc." [The latter sentence, assumes he did.]
And he darn sure shouldn't have gotten into states' rights type stuff. Where I grew up -- deep south -- the people who used states' rights to keep Black schools cruddy, and thwart desegregation, usually stood in front of a confederate flag and/or screaming white wingers.
With that said, Biden has done a lot of good and he should have added a few quick examples.
In any event, when my primary comes in March, I'll vote for Biden if it still looks like he has best chance to beat trump.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
comradebillyboy
(10,119 posts)Joe just needs to stop being so nostalgic about the 'good old days' in the Senate.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
True Blue American
(17,972 posts)And now we find Kamala is selling the little girl shirts! Give me a break, a planned stunt!
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
comradebillyboy
(10,119 posts)was talking about working with Eastland and other segregationist Senators. He got a lot of bad press over those remarks and should have been prepared to defend himself from an obvious line of attack.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
True Blue American
(17,972 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
msongs
(67,193 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
True Blue American
(17,972 posts)Would they?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden