Well, if you wondered whether the CAFTA 15 are testy about their vote and maybe a tad worried that it’s going to come back to bite them, check out this barrage which was sent by Mike McKay, senior policy advisor to Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY, District 06), one of the CAFTA 15. He sent it as an e-mail to an individual involved in the anti-CAFTA work and it was sent on to me.
“You’re so politically stupid, it is not funny! You send out a press release, and get 1 or 2 media outlets to cover it, and then put it on your
blogs as if it some big deal believing your own hype! Please. We welcome your racists campaign. Keep it up. Instead of the 96% of the vote we got last
cycle, you racists will help us get 100% for sure! By the way, I hope you saw
the numerous newspapers articles and editorials praising Rep. Meeks for his courageous vote and standing up for his district and NYC.
Congressman Meeks will continue to fight for the 51% of unemployed black males in NYC and working families regardless of the lies put forth by your racist campaign. I bet you couldn’t find our district if you were standing in it. By
the way, since your last email cited Crain’s NY, I hope you saw their
editorial today regarding Cafta, along with the many others. So keep up your racist campaign. But just a warning to you, when we respond back, you
better be prepared. Because we will fight back your racist campaign of misinformation. And it will be just as ugly and nasty as you and your fellow Nadar klansmen. Put that in your elitist pipe and choke on it!”
So, the questions I have for Mike McKay
and Rep. Meeks are:
1. You are claiming that people who oppose CAFTA are racists. Can you explain, then, why widespread demonstrations were held against CAFTA in all of the Central American countries that CAFTA is supposed to help?
2. Are you arguing that CAFTA will bring jobs that will employ the 51 percent of unemployed black males in New York? If so, can you show the data that backs up the claim from an independent source i.e., not the Chamber of Commerce or the Administration?
3. You say that you will fight back as ugly and nasty, referring to “klansmen.” Could you outline what your proposed tactics are?
4. Congressman Meeks, is this the standard of discussion you support from your senior aides? Do you disavow or support his remarks?
Updated Question: And as a helpful Congressional staffer pointed out to me in response to this posting, Rep. Meeks, is your senior policy advisor suggesting that members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are also racists because of its opposition to CAFTA?
