Have Blacks Finally Made It? Not Compared to Jews

So now that Obama has been elected, have Africans Americans now made it into the American power structure? Is racism dead? Can we do away with affirmative action?

OK they won the Presidency, but how many African Americans are there in Congress?

Well...

There is 1 black senator out of 100. That's 1%. (Actually stating Jan 20, 2008 that Senator will be gone - he is Barack Obama - so that will be down to 0%)

There are 39 black Congressmen out of 435. That's 8.9%.

Blacks make up about 12% of the U.S. population.

How do thes numbers compare to a minority - once discriminated against but who all agree has now made it in the U.S.

There are 13 Jewish senators. That's 13%

There are 32 Jewish Congressmen. That's 7.5%

Jews make up about 2% of the U.S. population.

So have blacks made it? Not by a long shot.

It is interesting to note that Blacks are hugely under-represented in the Senate - where you have to run state-wide and receive a lot of non-black votes to win. They are less under-represented in the House, where you run in smaller districts, and presumably most black congressmen come from majority black districts. This means that, in the past at least, black politicians could not count on the support of non-black voters. Even Obama "lost" the white vote. He overcame that by racking up huge margins among blacks and latinos.

As to why Jews are so massively over-represented in the House, and especially the Senate, I have no good theories to offer, but I would be glad to hear of one.

FYI, here is a list of the incoming Jewish Senators.

Carl Levin Democrat Michigan
Frank Lautenberg Democrat New Jersey

Russ Feingold Democrat Wisconsin
Herb Kohl Democrat Wisconsin
Dianne Feinstein Democrat California
Barbara Boxer Democrat California
Ron Wyden Democrat Oregon
Charles Schumer Democrat New York
Ben Cardin Democrat Maryland

Joe Lieberman Connecticut

Arlen Specter Republican Pennsylvania
Bernie Sanders Independent (Democratic Socialist) Vermont

and either

Norm Coleman Republican Minnesota

or

Al Fenken Democrat Minnesota

who are going to a recount. Both are Jewish.

When two black candidates are locked in a close contest for Senator of a hugely non black State, then we can say blacks are truly accepted by white Americans, and have completely integrated into the U.S. power structure.