They'll say anything to get a vote

Wow. 

President Bush told black leaders Tuesday that his plan to add private accounts to Social Security would benefit blacks since they tend to have shorter lives than some other Americans and end up paying in more than they get out.

Um, might I gently suggest that the problem here is not that blacks pay more than they get out, but that they live shorter lives?  Ya know, maybe that's the problem to fix, and not the Social Security thing. 

What a cynical thing to say.  He might as well have said, 'Your minority group is poorer and has shorter longevity than mine, partially or mostly because of my conservative constituency.  Since I need those people to vote for my party, I won't offer you any solutions to your basic problem, but I'll give you a few extra bucks.'  The article continues:

[Attendees] also said his supporters in the room praised Bush for opening federal dollars to churches and religious organizations and encouraged him to push for a constitutional ban on gay marriage.

Bush said this month it will be virtually impossible to overcome Senate resistance to passing an amendment under current legal conditions.

"We felt very strongly that we hope that the president would make this a priority on his agenda," said Robert L. Woodson Sr., founder of the Washington-based National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise. Woodson said many black pastors encouraged their congregations to vote for Bush on the issue, but Bush didn't respond to the request. "He was noncommittal on it because he has more priorities," Woodson said.

'Oh, and by the way, we're against gay marriage.  Vote for me.'

-- Michael

Comments

[Buckshot]

I agree it was a silly comment. I suspect it was a calculated move, to somehow gain minority support. If blacks think there might be something extra in it for them, they will start paying serious attention....

On the life expectancy for blacks... yes, whites do outlive blacks. Whites also score higher on IQ tests than blacks. Asians and Jews score higher than either blacks or whites. Blacks also tend to be better basketball players (and sprinters)than either whites, Jews, or Asians. Yet you don't see blacks winning Jeopardy.

Indians have a very poor alcohol tolerance. They also get diabetes much more than whites. So do blacks. Blacks get sickle cell anemia much more than other races.

There are many differences in races. Life expectancy is just one of many. I'm surprised Bush would admit this in the politically correct world he lives in.

Here's something eles about blacks. 70 percent of black children are born out of wedlock. You can thank the liberal welfare state of the past 40 years for destroying their family units.

[DavidByron]

Here's another factoid Buckshot: 25% of children born in wedlock aren't fathered by the husband.