2001 Obama WBEZ Interview Redistribution Wealth Warren Court

If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court. I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed people, so that now I would have the right to vote. I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order as long as I could pay for it Id be o.k. But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasnt that radical. It didnt break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states cant do to you. Says what the Federal government cant do to you, but doesnt say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf, and that hasnt shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was, um, because the civil rights movement became so court focused I think there was a tendancy to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that.

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[CrowdPleeza]

The problem with many civil rights era leaders was that they over emphasized wealth redistribution over Black wealth creation. Black-America has a spending power of $800 Billion. The problem is that Blacks haven't maximized those billions to benefit us through more entrepreneurship,investment etc.

[jd2409]

I agree with totalgent. Choosing to help the poor is in line with Christ's teachings. Jesus did not take money from people and give it away himself. The Bible warns many times that laziness will result in proverty (Proverbs 10:4,Proverbs 6:10,11, Proverbs 23:21, and others). Expanding entitlement programs and giving handouts WITHOUT encouraging/teaching citizens to provide for themselves reinforces laziness and will perpetuate poverty. I believe this is against the Bible's teachings.

[aaron isradder]

1:55, not what he said at all. didnt even mention African americans

[Lalaxtc Cali]

What Obama is really saying is "Redistribute your wealth to me and my rich banker friends"

[highvalleycowboy1]

Resist Resist Resist! Civil disobedience is one f the keys to dismantle this totalitarian Orwellian regime, and it's not just Obama! The republican leadership must go! Lindsey ghram is a traitor to his oath and a warlord in his heart! Revolution is the only answer

[358Disaster]

I think redistribution is just the wrong word for this conversation. How can you redistribute fortunes that have been gathered and lost over 175 years. If he was really serious about a "level playing field"(dont believe in it because some people are more devoted to money than others.) why not look at busting up these international monopolies. Break up and Decentralize Power!!!

[ernielight]

Obama said the Constitution was a “charter of negative liberties,” full of constraints imposed upon us by our Founding Fathers. I AGREE! Dismantle the Constitution, I'm so tired of freedom. I wish we were more like North Korea!

[truelitistnot]

The constraints on the constitution are upon the state not the people. So there is no need to liberate the people, providing you hold the constraints upon the government. The problem here is these people, like obama, want to give liberty to government and place constraints upon people, which is a tyranny.

[Whateverintheworld]

In fact, the "traged[y]" Obama identified during the interview was that the civil rights movement "became so court-focused" in trying to bring about political and economic justice.



[INFMAR1]

Worthless lying s.o.s



[snobak1]

To bad though that this administration believes it has the right to tell us what to do,that is unconstitutional,yet this idiot claims to be a constitutional lawyer.