Posted on 10/19/2002 11:57:48 AM PDT by ijcr
In healthy relationships, there must be give and take and some mutual benefit. Each partner's wants and needs are discussed, planned for, and fulfilled as far as possible.
This is why the relationship between Black Americans and the Democratic Party is dysfunctional. Neither side is getting what it wants or what it needs.
A recent editorial ran in USA Today discussing the financial contributions made by Black Americans to political campaigns, or rather the lack thereof.
The author states that, When Al Gore asked a gathering of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation how many of those in attendance planned to hold fundraisers for or contribute to Ron Kirk's bid for a Senatorial seat from Texas, "The room was all but silent," or "Only a few hands went up." The author continues, "Gore's questions - and the audience's responses - say all that needs to be said about black America's political power."
Well, not quite all that needs to be said. Certainly political parties depend on money to finance campaign ads, campaign trips, flyers, buttons and all sorts of other activities that Congress would like to make illegal. If Black Americans are not contributing to political campaigns, then certainly their influence will be diminished.
But that's not the main issue. Even a well-financed campaign will be unsuccessful without votes. As much as politicians want money, they want votes more because that is the way to office. If politicians believe that there is actually a possibility that they will lose the votes, then they will pay more attention to the voices.
Against all reason, Black Americans vote almost strictly Democratic. In 2000, 90% of the Black vote went to a Democratic candidate who opposed school vouchers, which Blacks are nearly 70% for, and who supported some of the most burdensome regulations on business when Blacks are far more likely to start a business than White Americans.
Voting for candidates who oppose what you want is called shooting yourself in the foot and is evidence that you are in a dysfunctional relationship.
As I've previously shown, Black American males are the most ripped off group when it comes to Social Security. However, it is the Democratic Party that opposes rational reform of the failed system. (Incidentally, the recent stock market plunge is proof that privatization, in the long run, is the way to go. More shares of moderate risk investments at a lower price will provide greater returns over time. They will certainly be better than the 2% return of Social Security.)
Education is the key to advancement in this country. However, public schools in Black neighborhoods are failing at an alarming rate. These are the very schools that are under the social engineering control of the National Education Association and its leftist agenda. This union, if not its members, is a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party. Why does this blind support exist? Part of the reason is historical. When the civil rights movement of the 1960's was occurring, it found a home, leadership from the Northern liberal Democrats (like Robert Kennedy) and the greatest push for passage of the Civil Rights Act against Southern conservative Democrats (like Al Gore, Sr.).
The thought now seems to be that only the Democratic Party can or will protect the civil rights of minorities. The reality is the country as a whole has changed. The laws have been changed to ensure the equal protection of all citizens, and, for the moment at least, we are a country under the rule of law. If someone believes that they have been denied a job, housing, access to government, or just about anything else on the basis of race, there is a battalion of lawyers just dying to mine the deep pockets of the discriminating entity.
That alone is enough motivation for companies to have hiring and diversity plans in place that will shield them from accusation and litigation.
Columnist Armstrong Williams claims that affirmative action is the single issue that most binds Black Americans to the Democratic Party. What reason, then, would a party have for promising to fight a battle that has already been won? Because a secured victory is easy to achieve and the secured votes of those who refuse to recognize the victory are the path to power.
When one participant in a relationship must manipulate the other to get what it wants, the relationship is dysfunctional.
Continuing to support Democrats who do not embrace the true needs of the Black community for education and business development is not Black power.
Magic Johnson opening theaters in Black neighborhoods and targeting the refreshments for Black clientele is Black power. Colin Powell working and rising to the nation's highest foreign policy position is Black power. A box office hit movie whose producer, director, writer, and stars are Black is Black power. The time for thanking the Democratic Party for the support of the past is over. Black Americans have the means at our disposal to achieve anything that we want in this country. If Democrats don't want to offer meaningful help, forget 'em.
The Democrats want a reliable block of votes who will support whatever they cough up as a candidate -- regardless of morality, or competence, or even support for particular programs. With a 90% turnout in favor of Democrat candidates, blacks are obviously supplying what the Democrats want.
The other way around, however, as the article points out, blacks are getting hosed by the Democrats. So, the article is half right.
Congressman Billybob
Depends on which Blacks you mean. Jesse and Al and their friends are getting rich. As long as the majority of Blacks think progress is made by how rich these few scumbags get, nothing will change.
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