Jefferson Review

"Your Liberty is Our Interest"

Home /  Archives / Search / Links / Quotes / Book Reviews / Advertise /Contact us / Subscribe / Calendar

What the Paul Patton/Tina Conner Scandal Teaches Us About Affirmative Action

by Theresa Fritz Camoriano

Governor Patton and Tina Conner unintentionally have done us all a wonderful service in exposing the reality of government power.  If we will just take a look at their situation, we can learn about many aspects of government, including affirmative action.  Tina Conner claims that she exchanged sex with the Governor for favors from the government, one of the favors being that her business was put on a list of affirmative action businesses to receive special, favored treatment by the government when awarding contracts.  There have been statements from people within the state government that they felt pressured to put Ms. Conner on the list, so Ms. Conner's claims appear to have substance.

Affirmative action is an interesting policy.  Instead of treating everyone as being equal under the law, which is supposed to be our ideal, this policy expressly gives favored treatment to people who fall within certain guidelines, such as racial minorities, women, or low income people.  So, who benefits from this special treatment?  Of course, it is people who are the insiders to begin with -- people like Tina Conner!  Affirmative action programs in government contracting have turned out to be ways to pay more than the going rate to special "friends" of those in power.  This, of course, means that the taxpayers who fund these projects are not getting their money's worth.  Instead of paying market rates, they are paying extra to "help disadvantaged people" - like Tina Conner.

By not treating everyone equally under the law, affirmative action legalizes special favors for special friends.  It is clear who benefits -- the insiders -- but who gets hurt?  These programs hurt the people who need roads or other services but who don't get them because the money has been squandered.  It hurts honest, legitimate businesses, who would have provided good service at a good price, and it hurts the employees of those legitimate businesses, many of whom are minorities, low income people, and the very people the supporters of these affirmative action policies claim to be helping.

Of course, Governor Patton and Tina Conner are not the only insiders who take advantage of these affirmative action benefits.  When the air waves were being auctioned off with affirmative action policies, the list of purchasers read like a who's who of wealthy minority people -- disadvantaged people like Bill Cosby, for example.

If we really want to help minorities and disadvantaged people, then we will insist that the government play by the rules and give no special favors to anyone.  Contracts should go to the lowest bidder who can meet the requirements of the job.  This encourages businesses to be efficient and competitive, and it gives taxpayers value for their money.  Of course, it might take some of the fun out the lives of powerful insiders like Paul Patton, but that really is none of my affair!

(To see the same type of affirmative action corruption on the national scene, click here http://www.washtimes.com/national/20021019-77594800.htm)

Weather (Louisville) / Mapquest / Search / White Pages / Business Search / CNN / Dictionary / E-card / MSN