Dixie - In Memoriam
New member
Taking a sabbatical from JPP, I have had the time to think about things and make some observations and conclusions about American politics, and life in general. It occurs to me, the black voter has essentially the same problem as the conservative voter in the upcoming election. Both are being largely ignored by their party and taken for granted, while the success of the party relies largely on their support.
Black have historically voted for Democrats in higher numbers than any other voting bloc for any other party. Across the board, this has been true for over 60 years. Conservatives have historically voted Republican, not in the numbers that blacks vote for Democrats, but enough to establish the pattern clearly, and for just as long a period of history. Both conservatives and blacks will vote with the party more times than not, and this is the problem.
The National Democratic Party has long realized it has the black vote secured, as long as it pays lip service to black causes and issues, it can depend on blacks to continue supporting the party, and nothing ever need be promised or done to actually solve the problems or help the blacks. The same is true with the Conservative vote on the other side. The RNC knows that Conservatives are simply not going to vote for a liberal Democrat. They can pay lip service to Conservative issues, and pretend to share the concerns of Conservative voters, but as far as substance, there is none in the platform.
This has largely been the case for years, but this election cycle reflects the phenomenon more than anything ever has. Look at the candidates. Democrats are in chaotic battle between Hillary and a black candidate, whom they have promoted and propped up as their example of racial diversity. Hey, look at us blacks, we have a black candidate! Now, the DNC really doesn't want Obama to win, they just want him to finish well and make it appear the Democrats are proactive in the black cause, representing their black constituents. Obama was supposed to be the 'lip service' but he took off. They didn't count on that. Now they are frantically trying to figure out a way to swing the super-delegates to Hillary and deny Obama the ultimate win.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side, all is not as peaceful and harmonious as John McCain would like us to think. The Conservative base, which makes up a much larger segment of the GOP than blacks in the Democrat camp, are literally ready to set their hair on fire. Frustrated with the inevitable nomination of McCain (not our first choice), the conservatives are looking for something from McCain, some indication that he wants our vote. All he needed to do was play to the conservative base, pay a little lip service if nothing else, it's what we expect! What we get is John McCain on the Global Warming tour with Al Gore.... Hell, John might pick Al as his running mate, wouldn't surprise me a bit! This is what Conservatives get from John McCain, a swift kick in our conservative teeth. Like the blacks in the Democratic party, conservatives are taken for granted, expected to vote for McCain because we can't vote any other way.
While Obama tries to distance himself from Rev. Wright, McCain tries to distance himself from social conservatives. Clearly John is going for the Moderate vote, the Independents, the fence sitters. What he doesn't seem to understand is, there is no moderate position on most of the issues we face. We are either going to secure our borders, or we are not. There is no moderate position on that. We are either going to have universal healthcare or not, there is no moderate position on that. We are either going to fight terrorism or not, no moderate position there either. You can either support the sanctity of life or not, there is no middle ground.
McCain has always been considered a "maverick" and adored by the media who marvels at his humility and ability to reach across the aisle. He is someone a lot of Democrats have respect for because he bucked the party line and sided with them. McCain seems to feed off of this, it's his motivating factor... how many accolades can I get from the Democrats for this? And over the years, the democrats have obliged, they all love John for his style and integrity. Too bad they ain't gonna vote for ya John! You see, you can't out-liberal a liberal, and that is what John is trying to do this election.
As he takes this moderate approach and tries to appear sympathetic to liberal causes, the liberals are going to be trotting out one story after another regarding John's past, his business dealings, his campaign contributors, his personal issues, and any other dirt they can manufacture on the man. It won't even have to be true, just put it out there and let people get a whiff. John is in for the meanest dirtiest fight of his life, and he wants to go pet the tiger and feed him puppy kibble.
I don't know what the solution is for the black voter, it looks like you are in for a few more generations of being taken for granted. Conservatives make up too large a segment of voting Americans to remain silent, and our voice will be heard. Whether that happens through the traditional Republican outlets or not, remains to be seen.
Black have historically voted for Democrats in higher numbers than any other voting bloc for any other party. Across the board, this has been true for over 60 years. Conservatives have historically voted Republican, not in the numbers that blacks vote for Democrats, but enough to establish the pattern clearly, and for just as long a period of history. Both conservatives and blacks will vote with the party more times than not, and this is the problem.
The National Democratic Party has long realized it has the black vote secured, as long as it pays lip service to black causes and issues, it can depend on blacks to continue supporting the party, and nothing ever need be promised or done to actually solve the problems or help the blacks. The same is true with the Conservative vote on the other side. The RNC knows that Conservatives are simply not going to vote for a liberal Democrat. They can pay lip service to Conservative issues, and pretend to share the concerns of Conservative voters, but as far as substance, there is none in the platform.
This has largely been the case for years, but this election cycle reflects the phenomenon more than anything ever has. Look at the candidates. Democrats are in chaotic battle between Hillary and a black candidate, whom they have promoted and propped up as their example of racial diversity. Hey, look at us blacks, we have a black candidate! Now, the DNC really doesn't want Obama to win, they just want him to finish well and make it appear the Democrats are proactive in the black cause, representing their black constituents. Obama was supposed to be the 'lip service' but he took off. They didn't count on that. Now they are frantically trying to figure out a way to swing the super-delegates to Hillary and deny Obama the ultimate win.
Meanwhile, on the Republican side, all is not as peaceful and harmonious as John McCain would like us to think. The Conservative base, which makes up a much larger segment of the GOP than blacks in the Democrat camp, are literally ready to set their hair on fire. Frustrated with the inevitable nomination of McCain (not our first choice), the conservatives are looking for something from McCain, some indication that he wants our vote. All he needed to do was play to the conservative base, pay a little lip service if nothing else, it's what we expect! What we get is John McCain on the Global Warming tour with Al Gore.... Hell, John might pick Al as his running mate, wouldn't surprise me a bit! This is what Conservatives get from John McCain, a swift kick in our conservative teeth. Like the blacks in the Democratic party, conservatives are taken for granted, expected to vote for McCain because we can't vote any other way.
While Obama tries to distance himself from Rev. Wright, McCain tries to distance himself from social conservatives. Clearly John is going for the Moderate vote, the Independents, the fence sitters. What he doesn't seem to understand is, there is no moderate position on most of the issues we face. We are either going to secure our borders, or we are not. There is no moderate position on that. We are either going to have universal healthcare or not, there is no moderate position on that. We are either going to fight terrorism or not, no moderate position there either. You can either support the sanctity of life or not, there is no middle ground.
McCain has always been considered a "maverick" and adored by the media who marvels at his humility and ability to reach across the aisle. He is someone a lot of Democrats have respect for because he bucked the party line and sided with them. McCain seems to feed off of this, it's his motivating factor... how many accolades can I get from the Democrats for this? And over the years, the democrats have obliged, they all love John for his style and integrity. Too bad they ain't gonna vote for ya John! You see, you can't out-liberal a liberal, and that is what John is trying to do this election.
As he takes this moderate approach and tries to appear sympathetic to liberal causes, the liberals are going to be trotting out one story after another regarding John's past, his business dealings, his campaign contributors, his personal issues, and any other dirt they can manufacture on the man. It won't even have to be true, just put it out there and let people get a whiff. John is in for the meanest dirtiest fight of his life, and he wants to go pet the tiger and feed him puppy kibble.
I don't know what the solution is for the black voter, it looks like you are in for a few more generations of being taken for granted. Conservatives make up too large a segment of voting Americans to remain silent, and our voice will be heard. Whether that happens through the traditional Republican outlets or not, remains to be seen.
