Harris backtracks, says busing should be considered by school districts, not federally mandated

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/p...t-federally-mandated

Harris’ busing position now essentially the same as Biden’s.

Leave it to the media to call her words "backtracking." She did no such thing.

This is what she said:

quote:

“I think of busing as being in the toolbox of what is available and what can be used for the goal of desegregating America’s schools,” she responded.

Asked to clarify whether she supports federally mandated busing, she replied, “I believe that any tool that is in the toolbox should be considered by a school district.”

Jeezus.

I didn’t see the second debate yet, but didn’t she give Biden hell for not supporting federally mandated busing in the 70s? Now she seems to be holding the same view.


Again, I didn’t see the debate, but that looks a lot like a backtrack to me. And an awkward one.

quote:

Again, I didn’t see the debate, but that looks a lot like a backtrack to me. And an awkward one.

How so?

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:
Leave it to the media to call her words "backtracking." She did no such thing.

This is what she said:

quote:

“I think of busing as being in the toolbox of what is available and what can be used for the goal of desegregating America’s schools,” she responded.

Asked to clarify whether she supports federally mandated busing, she replied, “I believe that any tool that is in the toolbox should be considered by a school district.”

Jeezus.

You are correct, based on what you've quoted. That does not say that it should be up to the school district, not the federal government. That says that the school district should use busing as one tool. Presumably, if they don't fix the problem, the federal government should then step in.

I'd be astonished if that was not her position.

I'd also be astonished if demagogues did not attempt to misrepresent her position through selective quotation.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:

quote:

Again, I didn’t see the debate, but that looks a lot like a backtrack to me. And an awkward one.

How so?

Let me add the caveat for the third time that I didn't see the debates.

But my understanding is she gave Joe a load of **** for not supporting federally mandated busing in the 70s.

And then a week later she equivocates a bit but clearly lands on not being in favor of federal mandated busing. Or at the very least, refuses to answer the question, leaving only the impression that it should be an option for districts to consider.

Quirt - you're presuming an answer she flatly - and wisely - refused to give. Twice dodging it.


Maybe the kerfuffle will continue and she'll have to actually collapse the waveform at some point and we'll find out if Schrondinger's bus has any kids on it. Or a federal stick behind it.

quote:

Originally posted by jon-nyc:
Quirt - you're presuming an answer she flatly - and wisely - refused to give. Twice dodging it.


Maybe the kerfuffle will continue and she'll have to actually collapse the waveform at some point and we'll find out if Schrondinger's bus has any kids on it. Or a federal stick behind it.

My reading makes logical sense. Yours does not.

FWIW, seem like a pretty epic policy proposal. If one is for such a thing, you'd think you'd roll it out with a great deal of fanfare and some sort of sales job.

I suspect the campaign just thought it was just a good hammer to beat joe with, and the policy implications never really occurred to them until later.

Oh, and this leaves her in the worst of all worlds, potentially.

The left says, "you believe in leaving it up to the school district! How could you!"

The right says, "you believe in the federal government forcing busing on reluctant school districts! How could you!"

(As opposed to Trump, who thinks the busing issue is about transportation.)

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
My reading makes logical sense. Yours does not.

My reading is factually correct. Yours is speculation.

quote:

Originally posted by jon-nyc:

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
My reading makes logical sense. Yours does not.

My reading is factually correct. Yours is speculation.

Uh, no. Your reading is a projection of the words she used as well, because her words say literally nothing about federal intervention or federally mandated busing. They merely say that the district should use it as one of many tools. You are attempting to claim that, by failing to mention a federal mandate, she's actually taking a position on the federal mandate.

So we are each speculating about her views on federal intervention in the absence of explicit language, but my speculation makes sense (in light of the way she went after Biden), and yours does not.

In short, you are finding a reading in the words that isn't there and that isn't consistent with other things she's said recently, and using it to create an "aha!" moment that is totally unjustified.

quote:

Originally posted by Bernard:
Leave it to the media to call her words "backtracking." She did no such thing.

This is what she said:

quote:

“I think of busing as being in the toolbox of what is available and what can be used for the goal of desegregating America’s schools,” she responded.

Asked to clarify whether she supports federally mandated busing, she replied, “I believe that any tool that is in the toolbox should be considered by a school district.”

Jeezus.

Hello Bernard,

I am not sure if the media used the word "backtracking", but that is the word I use when making that post.

Based on her attack (in the 2nd debate) on Biden's decades old position of not supporting federally mandated busing, it is my view that Harris' new statement qualifies as "backtracking."

Come on, Quirt. She dodged the question twice.

quote:

Originally posted by jon-nyc:
Come on, Quirt. She dodged the question twice.

And from a refusal to give a direct answer, you draw a conclusion directly at odds with the line of argument she made during the debate.

That's ... disingenuous.