MAN OF THE WEST – AT 10:15 A.M. ET:  Representative Alan West of Florida is emerging as one of the most spirited conservatives in the new House class.  A retired Army lieutenant colonel, he is a Republican African-American.  As such, he's regarded as something of a suspicious character by much of the Washington press corps.  This year's Clarence Thomas.

West will not be silenced or sidetracked.  He is a favorite of the Tea Party, and now, in response to vicious attacks on that group by several of his African-American colleagues, he's sprung into action, as The Daily Caller reports:

In response to recent comments made by Indiana Democratic Rep. Andre Carson and California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters that denigrate the tea party movement, Florida Republican Rep. Allen West — a member of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Tea Party Caucus — sent a letter to CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver Wednesday requesting that the body condemn such remarks.

“As Chairman of the CBC, I believe it is incumbent on you to both condemn these types of hate-filled comments, and to disassociate the Congressional Black Caucus from these types of remarks. Otherwise, I will have to seriously reconsider my membership within the organization,” West wrote.

The freshman congressman declared, “It is unconscionable when a fellow CBC Member, Congressman Andre Carson, comes to South Florida and claims that some in the Tea Party would love to see black Americans ‘hanging on a tree.’ It is appalling to hear another CBC colleague, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, say ‘The Tea Party can go straight to hell.’”

West added that Carson’s comments, which caricature the tea party movement as a group of racists, are “baseless” and “desperate.” West reiterated that the movement is focused on fiscal responsibility and American exceptionalism and wrote that the the CBC should be working to end the “balkanisation” of America.

COMMENT:   Here is a guy with political guts.  The CBC would undoubtedly be glad to see him go, as he doesn't toe the liberal-leftist line.  I hope he has the satisfaction of resigning before they kick him out. 

I also hope he has the satisfaction of seeing his star rise.  He could do wonders, convincing African-Americans that their loyalty to the Democratic Party has resulted in almost nothing.  They are the most loyal group within the party.  If that loyalty can be shaken, the Dems would apply as a group for early political retirement.

September 1, 2011