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For my part in it, I say no. No way should we "make policy changes" to attract blacks, whites, hispanics or any other group based on their race. Or women, based on their sex, for that matter. Nor gay's, based on their "preference"

There is a difference between pandering and providing conservative/Republican solutions to problems on a non-racial basis.

We have an economic problem. It is worse in some areas. Some use the "anti-pandering" argument to avoid actually doing anything about these problems. The Republican/conservative philosophy for dealing with these problems is to give incentives and tax reductions for businesses that expand into hard hit areas. Enterprise zones were a good idea that was not fully explored and not adequately pursued.

We have an education problem. It is worse in some areas. The Republican/conservative philosophy is to give parents more control over school choice and giving them the freedom to escape from being imprisoned in poor schools. It introduces competition into education, it increases competition (and therefore pay) for teachers as private schools also seek to attract the best teachers.

We have a problem in public housing. People do not particularly care to be sardined into filthy dangerous places. It does not bring out the best behavior whereever it may be and creates an atmosphere of hopelessness. The Republican/conservative idea was that we should provide the residents with the ability to purchase their own living place and become owners and get a foot in the door of the American dream. It worked where it was tried and was not tried enough.

These are all ideas that fundamentally match the conservative concept and ethic. Most are bitterly opposed by liberals. None of these things are based on skin color, they are based on current circumstance.

For the moment these things and other creative ideas we could come up with would probably help black Americans more for the time being, but would not exclude anyone of any race if these were their circumstances of life. Many rural white Americans would benefit also from the very same programs. This is not pandering, its demographics.

These were good ideas. We need more like them that solve the problems and don't violate our principles of what America is.

What?

I say local problems should be squarely on the shoulders of local leadership.

Let them fix it... and let them do it fairly, with no racism involved.

If they can't then.. What do you expect? Uncle fed to swoop in, violate the constitution and save the day?

Leave it on the local level. Blacks, whites, hispanics and all the different colors, religions and sexual orientations are smart enough to sort it out for themselves.