White Male Supremacy Paradigm Protects Timothy Geithner's Bid to Head Treasury Department

Here is an example of the white male supremacy paradigm operating even within the Obama Transition Administration:

A Capitol Hill grilling is likely for Timothy Geithner, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to head the Treasury Department, after public revelations he failed to pay $34,000 in taxes several years ago.  Yahoo News
If Geithner were  a Black male, he would never be considered for this position in the first place, because he would not be part of Lawrence A. Summers' white male supremacy support group.  If he were Black make who had failed to pay $34,000 in taxes, he would be led away in chains, and everyone would agree that he deserved it, and his skin color had nothing to do with it.

However, because Timothy Geithner is a white man he is protected by the white male supremacy paradigm, which is the:

belief that white males, no matter how much and how often they fail, are still, by virtue of their male gender and white skin, inherently more qualified than blacks and women who succeed.  Francis L. Holland, DailyKos, December 16, 2006.

The corollary to that definition is that white male supremacy is also:

 

The belief that Blacks and women, no matter how much or how often they succeed, are inherently inferior to white men, no matter how much or how often white men fail.  Francis L. Holland, DailyKos, December 16, 2006.

Now, I'm sure that Geithner is a perfectly nice individual (aside from his participation an exclusively and intentionally all white male professional support group that got him nominated for this position in the first place), but Geithner has apparently flouted the tax laws in the very area for which he would be given so much authority, the Internal Revenue Service.  His behavior makes a mockery of all Americans who paid their taxes, sometimes facing tax leins on their homes or losing their homes if they failed to do so.

It's alright, though, because Geithner is a white male.  He won't be led away for chains, as was actor Wesley Snipes.  He won't be subject to a three year jail term after being tried before an all-Black jury.  (Snipes was tried in Louisiana before an all-white jury, although 31% of the population of Louisiana is Black, according to the US Census Bureau.)

So, who will win?  The white male supremacy paradigm and the nomination of Timothy Geithner, who failed to pay his taxes and will now oversee the Internal Revenue Service?  Or will a new sense of justice prevail?  The same rejection of the white male supremacy paradigm that made Obama's election possible in the first place?

Can a Black male president help to perpetuate the white male supremacy paradigm? Obviously he can, because Timothy Geithner's nomination has not been withdrawn, and Obama continues to appoint white males who are guilty rather than women and Blacks and Latinos who are innocent.

Will white men win if the white male supremacy paradigm wins?  Will they be better served by installing a man to lead the IRS who doesn't pay his own taxes?  Would white males have won if that old crank and crackpot, 'the economy is basically strong' John McCain had won the presidency?  Many of them thought not.

Here's another perplexing question, the answer to which is simple and obvious:  Can a Black male president help to perpetuate the white male supremacy paradigm? Obviously he can, because Timothy Geithner's nomination has not been withdrawn, and Obama continues to appoint white males who are faulty rather than women and Blacks and Latinos who are innocent and whose careers are stellar?

Lawrence A. Summers, the same Clinton era creep who was just booted off of the board of Citibank because his deregulation and derivatives schemes helped lead to the current meltdown is the mentor of Geithner who doesn't pay his taxes.

NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/2 5/opinion/25tue1.html?_r=2&r ef=opinion As treasury secretary in 2000, Mr. Summers championed the law that deregulated derivatives, the financial instruments -- a k a toxic assets -- that have spread the financial losses from reckless lending around the globe. He refused to heed the critics who warned of dangers to come. That law, still on the books, reinforced the false belief that markets would self-regulate. And it gave the Bush administration cover to ignore the ever-spiraling risks posed by derivatives and inadequate supervision.  CitiBank Nonsense
In summary, putting a white man who doesn't pay his taxes at the head of the IRS is NOT going to solve our economic crisis simply because the nominee is a white man.  There are some disabilities and deficiencies and plain old bad ideas that even white skin and a penis cannot overcome.



Display:


Re: White Male Supremacy Paradigm (2.00 / 8)

Wpould you say that if Barack Obama were a black male, he never would have made it, for the White Male Supremacy Paradigm would destory him?

This diary is absurd.


by TomP on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 10:46:58 AM EST

White male supremacy? (2.00 / 7)

You have just to be f'ing kidding me.

1) looking at Obama's cabinet as a whole I think one would have to draw the conclusion that it suffers from anything but white male supremacy.
SoS: Female, AG: African American, HS: Female, Energy: Chinese American, Labor: Female, VA: Japanese American, Agriculture: Latino decent.

As to Geithner's tax issue please do a bit of research before you spout off. His mistake is a common one. So common in fact that the IRS -

the mistake he made is common enough that in February 2007, the IRS offered current and former U.S.-based employees of foreign embassies, missions and other international groups a "one-time settlement initiative" to essentially resolve mistakes like the one Geithner made.

HuffPo

And he rectified the error and paid the taxes with interest.


Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.
by jsfox on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 11:02:05 AM EST

Wow (2.00 / 6)

Your diaries are just going further and further into left field.

You're starting to get as bizarre as Ralph "Obama is Uncle Tom" Nader.


You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 11:13:42 AM EST

Hmmm.... (2.00 / 4)

How do you explain Sen. Roland Burris?


I'm a Rick-o-phobe.
by psychodrew on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 11:23:30 AM EST

Re: Hmmm.... (none / 0)

How do you explain the fact that Roland Burris is the one percent of Blacks in the US Senate while the nation is 12.8% Black?  Your question proves my thesis.


by Manic Lawyer on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 02:00:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Cuckoo (none / 0)

This diary is suggesting that the White Boyz Klub for Men that are White (WBKfMtaW) is what keeps Geithner in the running for an appointment and psychodrew brought up another appointment which obviously isn't just for the WBKfMtaW.

A rational response would be to bring up another appointment that supports your case, but you chose to go after the democratically elected Senate instead.  You're criticizing democracy now, sir, and I would suggest that you check your argument before you wreck your argument.


You can't stop the signal.

President "That One"

by Dracomicron on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 02:37:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: White Male Supremacy Paradigm Protects Timothy (2.00 / 3)

This is fucking stupid.  There are good reasons to oppose geithner (I do not, btw) but to say that his whiteness gets him a pass on his tax failings is absurd.  It's because he's rich and apparently is unique in understanding tarp.

We just elected a black man president.  That didn't magically end racism, but it did raise the bar.  You'll need to do better than this.


by Reaper0Bot0 on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 11:52:12 AM EST

can't fully agree (none / 0)

Clinton had to yank his first or second choice for attorney general because she had hired an illegal immigrant.

I agree that if Geithner were not a white male, his failure to pay some taxes and his hiring of an illegal immigrant would be considered disqualifying. But even the Republicans aren't putting up a big fight on this appointment--they are saving that for Eric Holder's confirmation hearings.

I don't agree with all of this diary, but there is a kernel of truth there.


Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.
by desmoinesdem on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 10:20:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

lets cut out this (2.00 / 1)

race card playing.


by Lakrosse on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 12:47:05 PM EST

As a white male (none / 0)

Sounds like I should send in a letter of application!


by the mollusk on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 12:49:09 PM EST

I said it, so it must be true! (2.00 / 2)

I love how you quote your own DKos diary in an attempt to lend credence to your argument.


by Dreorg on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 01:06:36 PM EST

Wow we just posted essentially (2.00 / 2)

the same comment at the same time. I thought I had double-posted for a second.

Rather glad I am not the only one who noticed that.


by sricki on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 01:09:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wow we just posted essentially (2.00 / 1)

Huh.  How odd.


by Dreorg on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 01:12:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I said it, so it must be true! (none / 0)

I quote my DK diary to show that I have been attacking the white male supremacy paradigm since . . . white male supremacists were insisting that John Edwards or Al Gore should be president.


by Manic Lawyer on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 02:01:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Really? (2.00 / 1)

white male supremacists were insisting that John Edwards or Al Gore should be president.

So let's just ignore the fact that a large number of our fellow citizens of all colors, genders and ethnic backgrounds felt the same way.  You know, had you said white male supremacy wanted Bush to president  I might and it's a big might have agreed with you. Alas you didn't so I don't.


Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.
by jsfox on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 02:27:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

those were the days (none / 0)

when you had clairvoyant powers and could see that absolutely everyone supporting Al Gore or John Edwards was motivated by the same desire to enforce white male hegemony.


Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.
by desmoinesdem on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 10:22:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Here we go again, (2.00 / 3)

and I love how you quote yourself in your own diary as if it is supporting evidence for your nonsensical rant. Your bitterness is sad, and I hope you one day overcome it.


by sricki on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 01:07:58 PM EST

If NancyK were black (2.00 / 2)

she'd write this.


by Neef on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 02:00:07 PM EST

Re: If NancyK were black (2.00 / 1)

If Nancy K were black, she wouldn't know what to do, since she's written repeatedly that it is has been proven that women are the most oppressed minority in the world.


by Dreorg on Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 03:47:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]


You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.