Monday, February 12, 2007

Pandering 101

A POST FROM LITTLE DUKE:

Excuse me… Excuse me class, would you all take your seats please? It’s been a busy weekend, so I’ll jump right in. My name is Ms. Rodum and I’ll begin with today’s Case Study.

Insurance Companies in Florida are charging different amounts for car insurance based on many factors, but including level of education. It seems that some are charged quite a bit more because they have no high school diploma. Sometimes three times as much compared to someone with a Graduate Degree. It seems that overall; there are more blacks than whites with no high school diploma. Now, who wants to take a crack at analyzing this case?

Johnny: “I think this could be another result of the To be successful is to be too white mentality that afflicts many of out predominately black neighborhoods. It’s the individual’s responsibility to see to it that they make the most of their opportunities.”

Ms. Rodum: Johnny … I’m giving you a zero for today. You need to go home and study Pandering very hard if you are ever going to pass this class. Someone else want to try?

Billy: Oh, Oh, Ms. Rodum, I know. It’s the fault of those big insurance companies, trying to take advantage of the Black community. While it might be true that those without high school diplomas are generally worse drivers, it’s still very disturbing that Blacks are hit the hardest. We need the Government to investigate.

Very Good, anyone else?

Hilly: It’s bigger than the insurance companies Ms. Rodum, its societies fault. All of that institutional racism is keeping Blacks down and then the insurance companies get together in a backroom and secretly agree to raise the rates on those that didn’t get their diplomas knowing that most of them would be black. It’s society’s fault!

Johnny: But wouldn’t someone else start a company to go after that market? Blacks make up approximately 12% of the population. If they are being targeted by the insurance companies out there now, why not start another company to go after that 12%? I know Businessmen that would run naked through a room full of angry bees to get a 12% market share out of the box.

Ms Rodum: NO, NO, no… The answer can never be the private sector. Government must always be the answer. What are you Johnny, some whacko Libertarian? You will never get anyone to vote for you unless you can show them they need you. What would they need you for if the private sector could solve their supposed problems?

Well class, that’s all the time we have today. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about that evil Glass Ceiling.

Little Duke