Nov 21st, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Why Not Me?
Spencer Ackerman points to the lack of Latinos among the appointments thus far made by Barack Obama. He suggests yours truly for Secretary of Commerce. I’d gladly accept the position, of course, and am also interested in being Secretary of Transportation or this White House urban policy office. And speaking of identity politics you can believe in, doesn’t it strike you as odd that neither The Washington Post nor The New York Times has any Hispanic op-ed columnists?
46 Responses to “Why Not Me?”
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November 21st, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Isn’t fellow Latino Bill Richardson the leading contender for Commerce?
November 21st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
What kind of name is Richardson? At least Yglesias is actually Spanish. That said, MY is about as Spanish as Latino as a fish is like a bird.
Anyhow, Crooked Timber has a round up suggesting Switzerland might go under soon, did your banker buddies um, dissemble a bit with you?
November 21st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
The Washington Post and New York Times aren’t biased against Hispanics, so why would they need to hire one for the op-ed page? Clearly Megan McArdle is the change they need.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Oh Matt, how sweet of you to give NYT a hint to hire you. Unfortunately, the only way you can get the job is if you transform yourself into a conservative so you can replace Kristol.
Or you can always go do something to Tom Friedman. Frankly, I suggest the latter. There are days when Kristol is marginally more readable than Friedman.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
The commerce secretary apparently spends most of their time regulating the oceans. Much as I appreciate Matt’s milder foreign policy, I’d like someone greener at Commerce. For that matter, I’d like someone greener than Richardson.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
The Washington Post and New York Times aren’t biased against Hispanics, so why would they need to hire one for the op-ed page? Clearly Megan McArdle is the change they need.
After Kristol, McArdle would be more of the same.
And Matt for Secretary of Education and Proof-Reading
November 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pm
The NYT and WaPo editorial pages aren’t representive of America in a gazillion ways. Having no Hispanic op-ed writers is just one more.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:42 pm
There’s another, larger group that BHO has ignored, and they aren’t too happy about not getting their fair slice of the pie. Especially since BHO reached out them during the election: my.barackobama.com/page/content/eahome
P.S. There are things MattY will never tell you about BillRichardson on these videos:
youtube.com/watch?v=i0YRHXoygRM
youtube.com/watch?v=MiszkrzoOs0
youtube.com/watch?v=CifLm6z32eA
youtube.com/watch?v=mN2o208PFhg
Note especially the first: even as he was running for president of the U.S., he was shilling for a group of foreign governments.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
For the love of God, keep Matt Yglesias far away from transportation policy.
November 21st, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Are Sefardim many generations removed from Spanish speaking lands still considered Hispanic?
Does anyone in your family speak native Spanish still?
November 21st, 2008 at 4:56 pm
November 21st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Ack! Preview feature please! First paragraph of the foregoing quoted, second paragraph me.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pm
this is a actually a good question.
Matt, ARE you going into the obama administration? have you sent in a resume? they could use you, you know…
November 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pm
24AheadDotCom..
That “european and mediterranean americans for obama” might sound racist to you, but it’s mostly a way of classifying whites with a distinct cultural identity like Greeks, or Armenians, or Bulgarians….that is, people that are “seen” as white but don’t see themselves as white necessarily…
November 21st, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Uhmm, Matt would fail the questionnaire on questionable blogging…not for what he has written, but for the “liberties” he takes with his spelling!
November 21st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Are Sefardim many generations removed from Spanish speaking lands still considered Hispanic?
Does anyone in your family speak native Spanish still?
Vanya, the name “Yglesias” comes from Matt’s non-Jewish grandfather–Google “Jose Yglesias”
November 21st, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Wow, so we should take someone with absolutely no experience beyond spewing crap out of his keyboard and put him in the cabinet. Great idea, sounds like an idea with about as much thought behind it as a typical Yglesias thought.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
There’s a spot on Sundays and Wednesdays at the NYT that I’d like to see open up.
November 21st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Brandon: I think I was trying to point out the absurdity and absolute corruption of IdentityPolitics. I might have succeeded for some people, but apparently not you. Also, I think others might have realize that - despite what we’re told - BHO isn’t a “post racial candidate” but is simply a sleazy, Balkanizing-in-order-to-win Democrat.
November 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Matt will be nominated to clean the bathrooms in the White House - that’s about his “degree in philosophy” qualifies him for.
November 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
MY would have better luck, and justification, trying out for the Jewsish slot on El Diario’s op-ed page.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I’ve long predicted that if Geraldo Rivera goes ahead with his often-mentioned plan to retire to his house in Israel and run for the Knesset, that Matt would be in line to move up to being the best-known Spanish-surnamed figure in journalism.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I think they should hire a WASP with a WASPy, but Hispanic-looking surname, like Jose (”J” as in “Jack” “ose” as in “dose of medicine”).
Preferably one with a thing for Austrian economics.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:31 pm
because you are a ridiculous asshat
November 21st, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I’m a WASP whose name looks Jewish to anyone who didn’t grow up in Minnesota, so sign me up for one of them op-ed slots.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
Sorry, Matt, I’d find you to be really well spoken but so parochially off-base I’d have to say you’d be the worst of the appointments so far.
From your ‘popular vote’ canard, to the ’sell US Forest Service/BLM lands in the West (because it wouldn’t affect me in DC and really, is there land West of here?), and beyond the “There should be 4995 story high-rises in DC because I say so”.
I LOVE your columns, and I think your analysis is spot on. But your policy? ICK ICK ICK you are incredibly so selfish and narrow minded.
But hey I’m still reading…
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 am
“I think they should hire a WASP with a WASPy, but Hispanic-looking surname, like Jose (”J” as in “Jack” “ose” as in “dose of medicine”).”
Like Juan Trip or James Jesus Angelton (though I think Angelton actually was Hispanic).
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 am
doesn’t it strike you as odd that neither The Washington Post nor The New York Times has any Hispanic op-ed columnists?
Not unless you can correct that sentence to include the names of the worthy candidates they passed over.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Are Sefardim many generations removed from Spanish speaking lands still considered Hispanic?
Does anyone in your family speak native Spanish still?
Not Sephardic, mom’s family are ashkenazi Jews, dad’s family is from Cuba.
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Richardson’s mom is Mexican….he speaks fluent spanish.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:22 am
How stereotypical of you guys to assume that Latinos must speak Spanish. Actually, by the second generation, English becomes the primary language spoke in the home. Many of us have been here for multiple generations, but yet, it is assumed that we should all speak the mother tongue.
Congressman Raul Grijalva is a contender for Sec. of Interior. He has a solid progressive agenda, especially in environmental issues.
Ruben Navarette’s column is sometimes picked up by the Washington Post. http://www.postwritersgroup.com/navarrette.htm
If you want some Latino specific political commentary, I welcome you to visit my site:
http://www.latinopoliticsblog.com
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