By Janice S. Ellis, Ph.D., Kansas City, MO –

Racism in the halls of Congress of the United States of America is the big elephant in the chamber. The Republican Party’s leadership, along with the present pool of candidates, makes it consistently clear that that their number one objective will be to make President Barack Obama a one-term president. This persistent mantra started long before the pernicious and stalled inaction on the President’s proposed Jobs bill, long before the current campaign season. Why? Why? And, why?

Many citizens are hurting because of high unemployment, a lack of adequate health care insurance among other things. So why, as this nation faces some of the worst economic challenges, is President Obama’s defeat top priority?

They say love is blind. So is hate and racism.

America has never been comfortable talking about the big elephant that has taken up residence in many of its rooms, including in the house of Congress.

Racism in the halls of Congress is preventing passage of the Job’s bill. Photo Credit: usaonrace.com

We can sit around ringing our hands, shaking our heads, straining our eyes and ears to try and hear one sound reason why this Congress is dragging its feet on passing legislation that the majority of people want, and we are hard pressed to come up with one.

We can continue to watch this governing charade, which sometimes is passive aggressive, other times completely belligerent, and still other times a disrespectful  show of obstinacy while America burns and millions suffer.

People should be outraged and demand that Congress at least vote the Jobs bill down or up.

The reasons the Republican Congressional leadership offer just do not pass the smell test because the proposed bill has elements that eight previous Republican administrations and congresses have agreed upon and passed. The bill decreases the deficit and will not add to the debt. The bill has tax provisions which will close loopholes and make formerly under-taxed citizens pay their fair share. There are breaks.

More to the point, based on a recent Gallop Poll, 75 percent of the public supports and wants Congress to pass the President’s Jobs Bill. Yet this Congress chooses to discount the people who put them there to represent their interests.

Can their disdain and fixation to defeat President Obama prevent them from doing what is in millions of citizens best interest as well as the nation? It has to be an irrational over-powering emotion. Few emotions fall into that category. Racism is one of them.

Could it be that the very thought of a black President having another term is just too much to tolerate among some of our members of Congress?

When one looks in the annals of the history of American presidents, one has to reason that President Barack Obama definitely hasn’t been the worst. When one looks at the conditions he inherited when he became President, his list of achievements can stand on their own. There is much left to be done, notably with putting people back to work and fixing an ailing economy.

But why isn’t this Congress willing to do their job?

If it’s not obvious racism, then what is it?

Isn’t it time? Being an Ostrich isn’t the response.

Racism in halls of Congress. Wouldn’t most Americans love to understand that racism isn’t terrorizing members in Congress’ hallway and the huge elephant isn’t roaming?

What do you think?

Edited and Reprinted with Permission of USAonRace.com