According to a recently released report by the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights, although the Clinton administration continues to lack policies to offer assistance to those who are mired in concentrated poverty, its record on civil rights will be determined largely by what the President attempts in his final period in office to combat poverty, deprivation and discrimination.
In the summary to its third biennial report on the civil rights record of the Clinton Administration, the Citizens' Commission praises the Clinton Administration for its strong defense of affirmative action, the President's efforts to improve race relations, and other specific steps to redress discrimination. But the Commission, noting that large numbers of the minority poor have not benefitted, recommends seizing this final opportunity to address work left largely neglected in the area of civil rights during his first six years in office.
"President Clinton can determine his own legacy by what he chooses to do in his remaining time in office", said William L. Taylor, vice chair of the Citizens' Commission.
"The books are still not closed on the Clinton Administration's performance in civil rights," Taylor said. "The president's legacy will be determined by what he does in the remainder of his term in strengthening enforcement and setting a course for providing opportunity for those who are worst off in this prosperous nation."
The report's summary concludes:
"In posing the question of whether the Clinton Administration has a set of policies that offer effective assistance to those who are mired in concentrated poverty, the Commission finds the answer to be largely negative. Nevertheless, appeals at the highest levels to the American people's sense of fairness have often brought a positive response. There is no better time to launch the effort: the nation is more prosperous now than it has ever been."
The Citizens' Commission also released a fact sheet summarizing 17 specific policy recommendations contained in the report. The full text of the report is scheduled for release in February.
The 11-page summary report addresses the Clinton record on a range of civil rights issues, and includes specific recommendations to tackle issues concerning race and poverty, federal resources and funding, administration of justice, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the 2000 Census, voting rights, welfare reform, immigration, employment, affirmative action, education, housing, and other issues.
The Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights is a bipartisan organization established in 1982 to monitor the civil rights policies and practices of the federal government and to seek ways to accelerate progress in the area of civil rights. For additional information, contact the Center at (202) 659-5565.
