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American Interest&&#%#' P.O.()*)+,,- Box 15115 North$).& Hollywood, $)%%' CA /0123425091615 Publicity Copyy AutumnAutumnVacationSummerWinter (September/October) (September/October) (July/August) (May/June)Jan./Feb. 2009 20099 2012, 2009(Vol. (Vol.IV Vol.IV,(Vol. IV, No. VIII,No. V,3 5)No. 6) No. 1) 1 ! !"#$ "$ % &"'"(") $ !*$ + The"#$#% American Interest&&#%#' P.O.()*)+,,- Box 15115 North$).& Hollywood, $)%%' CA /0123425091615 *#' )88#%9 : ;05 < : ;/ < =,>?!@ =/>?! A =2!42A ! @ A5,BA 9 & 0 5 ' 6 # #! & !&! ' 7 ( - ! -- * A95PPCA21PPCA91A95PPC A96PPC FUKUYAMA: DOWN TO THE WIRE • BARONE: OPEN-FIELD POLITICS Policy, Politics & Culture Vol. VIII, No. 1 | September/October 2012 Race & Class in America: THE LAST COMPROMISE WALTER RUSSELL MEAD The Poverty Industry Schools: Segregation Forever? Our Post-Post-Racial Society Cover.indd 1 www.the-american-interest.com 7/25/12 12:35 PM CONTENTS 4(%!-%2)#!.).4%2%34s6/,5-%6))) .5-"%2 !545-.3%04%-"%2/#4/"%2 RACE AND CLASS IN AMERICA 5 The Last Compromise by Walter Russell Mead The history of race in America has been one of a series of “great com- promises”, from the Founding up to the election of Barack Obama. There are signs that the latest compromise is breaking down. 16 Black and White No Longer by Richard Thompson Ford 44 American society is neither post-racial nor stuck fast in a racist past, but fantasies of monolithic racial communities are distorting our national conversation on race and public policy. 26 Transcending the Poverty Industry by Robert L. Woodson, Sr. Federal anti-poverty efforts have relied too heavily on solutions cooked up in academia and inside the Beltway. We already have plenty of proven programs—at the local level. 35 Whatever Became of the Raucous Caucus? by Paul Frymer The Congressional Black Caucus is no longer the flamboyant organization it was at its birth in the late 1960s, but it’s still worth 52 listening to. 44 Still Separate and Unequal Rhena Catherine Jasey America’s poorest students need extra educational resources just to keep pace with their more priveleged peers. Instead, they get less— and teachers, principals and unions get blamed for the outcome. AMERICAN POLITICS, 2012 52 The Open Fields of November by Michael Barone 84 American politics today is far more volatile than in the past. That makes predicting what will happen in November a temptation for fools. Expect a massive failure to resist temptation. 59 What Newt Means by Adam Clancy The Newt Gingrich campaign amused the pols and pundits, but what it says about future primary contests isn’t the least bit funny. AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER) 2012 3 WAVELENGTHS 64 Hacking the Next War by Chris C. Demchak Cyber security is an ultra-modern challenge, but we could learn a lot about it by examining how pre-modern Euorpean city-states EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Francis Fukuyama, chairman managed their defenses. Charles Davidson, publisher & CEO Walter Russell Mead, editor-at-large 74 Turn Your Radio On & director, The American Interest Online by Jeffrey Gedmin Eliot Cohen The former director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty assesses Josef Joffe what’s right and what’s wrong with U.S. broadcasting policy. Adam Garfinkle, editor Daniel Kennelly, senior managing editor Noelle Daly, associate editor Lindsey Burrows, assistant editor REVIEWS Damir Marusic, associate publisher Andrew Iacobucci, assistant to the publisher 84 Down to The Wire Erica Brown, Michelle High, editorial consultants by Francis Fukuyama Simon Monroe, R. Jay Magill, Jr., illustrators The HBO television series The Wire, which aired between 2002 cover design by Lindsey Burrows & and 2008, brought Americans face-to-face with the stubborn and Damir Marusic disturbing reality of inner-city life. EDITORIAL BOARD 90 Zoned Out Anne Applebaum, Peter Berger, by J.P. O’Malley Zbigniew Brzezinski, Tyler Cowen, Two new books show us that racism is alive and all too well—not Niall Ferguson, Robert H. Frank, William A. Galston, Owen Harries, just in America but in segregated cities around the world. G. John Ikenberry, Stephen D. Krasner, Bernard-Henri Lévy, Sebastian 96 Finding the Founding Mallaby, C. Raja Mohan, Ana Palacio, by Michal Jan Rozbicki Itamar Rabinovich, Ali Salem, Scholars are fond of criticizing ideologues who ransack history for Lilia Shevtsova, Hiro Aida, Mario Vargas Llosa, Wang Jisi, useful material to promote contemporary agendas. It turns out that Ruth Wedgwood many scholars do more or less the same thing. 103 The Great Stone Face ADVERTISING & SYNDICATION by Colin Fleming Damir Marusic [email protected] The recent release of a series of 1930s-era two-reelers reminds (202) 223-4408 us how great Buster Keaton was even when he wasn’t at his best. The Great Stone Face was no slapstick peddler, but a true harbin- website ger of film comedy as an art form. www.the-american-interest.com 108 Retroview: Hope in the Searching Subscriptions: Call (800) 362-8433 or visit www. the-american-interest.com. One year (6 issues): $39 print; by Joseph R. Wood $19 online; $49 for both. Two years (12 issues): $69 print; $38 online; $98 for both. Please add $14 per year for Walker Percy distrusted the esoteric and the arcane, looking print-subscription delivery to Canada and $33 per year for instead to the concrete and the quotidian as a bridge to faith and delivery to addresses outside the United States and Canada. Postmaster and subscribers, send subscription orders and meaning. A man of both the American South and the Catholic changes of address to: The American Interest, P.O. Box Church, his novels and essays never evince a claim to know any 15115, North Hollywood, CA 91615. The American Interest (ISSN 1556-5777) is published six times a year by The mortal’s destination—only the value of the journey. American Interest LLC. Printed by Fry Communications, Inc. Postage paid in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. ©2010, The American Interest LLC. Application for mailing at periodical pricing is pending in Washington, DC and ad- ditional mailing offices. Editorial offices: 1730 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Suite 707, Washington, DC 20036. Tel.: (202) 223-4408. Fax: (202) 223-4489. RACE AND CLASS IN AMERICA The Congressional Black Caucus still has an important role to play—albeit a circumstances. WHATEVER BECAME OF THE RAUCOUS CAUCUS? Paul Frymer othing ties the tongue three decades ago. Were racial catego- of a characteristically ries irrelevant to social, economic and windbag politician so political fairness in America, this rela- swiftly as the topic of tive silence would be merely unremark- race. When race does able. But that is not the case. The quiet Ncome up, their voices drop, their stress is disquieting because it has profound im- levels rise and their language becomes plications in a society where many white vague, tending to protective code words and black Americans have starkly differ- and euphemisms. These habits tell us ent experiences when it comes to access that meaningful discussions about race, to quality education, healthcare and eco- not to speak of potential policies or rem- nomic opportunities, and in rates of incar- edies that might address a raft of continu- ceration and social segregation. Frankly ac- ing inequalities and problems, are simply not knowledging these differences would help, if on offer today to the extent they were two or not to finally solve the problems, then at least to clarify what they are. Paul Frymer is associate professor of politics at When Barack Obama ran for President Princeton University and author of Uneasy Alli- four years ago, it seemed that the United States ances: Race and Party Competition in America might be on the verge of a new and usefully (2010). substantive conversation about race. Hints of AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER) 2012 35 RACE AND CLASS IN AMERICA such a conversation appeared in the media, but credit, to quality public school education, also in the campaign. Obama’s famous Phila- social mobility, access to quality healthcare, delphia speech highlighted the promise of his for example—are becoming further en- campaign in this regard, leading David Rem- trenched. We have in important ways taken nick to write in The New Yorker that Obama a step backward on the issue of race during had stepped forth as the leader of the “Joshua the past four years. generation”, a generation anointed to take the Understandably, Obama has been re- next step forward in civil rights, going past luctant to involve himself directly in mat- mere legal and procedural equality to fulfill the ters of race for political reasons. For decades American dream. now, the conventional wisdom has been that Four years later, that promise lies unful- white moderates and conservatives are criti- filled. The issue of race bubbles more vigor- cal swing voters in presidential elections, so ously today than it did four years ago, even that it is self-defeating foolishness to engage if it usually stays just below the surface, in inevitably emotional conversations about but not all the energies are positive. While race. Obama has by and large followed this Obama’s voice on the subject has become playbook: He has not highlighted continu- quieter, some criticisms of his presidency ing racial inequality and discrimination, let (and now of his bid for re-election) have sug- alone raised the idea of reparations for histor- ical injustices. He has not addressed Obama has by and large followed this racial disparities playbook: He has not highlighted con- in capital punish- ment, even when tinuing racial inequality and discrimi- the nation briefly nation, let alone raised the idea of focused on the controversial ex- reparations for historical injustices. ecution of Troy Davis in Georgia. gested racism. Racially insensitive jokes and He has avoided the controversy over affirma- statements by leaders and participants in the tive action in university admissions, an issue Tea Party—from protestor Dale Robertson, the Supreme Court will probably rule on in who held a sign with the n-word at a rally in the next few months.
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