Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) Seeks "Targeted Efforts" to Hire Blacks & Latinos Due to High Unemployment Rates

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) favors "targeted efforts" to hire blacks & Latinos due to high unemployment rates in black & Latino communities.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) seems to be asking for "targeted efforts" to hire blacks and Latinos, since the jobs losses are particularly severe in those two ethnic backgrounds. According to the Redding News Review, Boxer, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the July jobs report:

“Although the private sector grew by 71,000 jobs, the overall number of jobs decreased by 131,000, resulting in the unemployment rate remaining at 9.5 percent. While some sectors of the economy continue to show signs of improvement, many continue to lag behind, underscoring the need for the government to create jobs and stimulate the economy.

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“Additionally, unemployment rates for African Americans and Latinos remain unacceptably high at 15.6 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively, and highlighting the disproportionate impact the recession has had and the need for targeted efforts to address chronic unemployment.”

Is she asking for unemployed blacks and Latinos to be favored over other races just because of the color of their skin? Isn't this asking taking affirmative action to the extreme? I understand that a lot of blacks and Latinos have been impacted by this recession in bigger numbers than other ethnic backgrounds, but to favor one race over another in hiring decisions is a recipe for disaster. What if there was a White Congressional Caucus and they sought "targeted efforts" to hire whites? That wouldn't go over too well, would it?