GOP breaks its vows to black voters (Bush might lose the crucial black vote)

The Daily News ^ | 8/04/03 | Stanley Crouch

[M 91 u2 K]

GOP breaks its vows to black voters

At this crucial time in American life, President Bush has before him a number of options that call for supreme boldness but are well within the realm of possibility. Bush needs to contemplate something I once saw when Jack Kemp, then the U.S. housing secretary, Bertha Gilke, a black community leader and the first President George Bush spoke together in St. Louis. At one point, Gilke said that as a life-long Democrat, she had never expected to be on a stage with two Republicans, but she had to admit that Bush and Kemp had made it possible for working-class black people to own their homes.

Back then, the GOP was bent on taking black votes away from the Democrats. But that interest seems to have waned, and now bitter black Republicans don't believe the party has any intention of engaging blacks by moving on inarguable problems.

As one black Republican told me, "You take Chris Garrett, the single black man at the Republican National Committee. He gets no support. They've made him into a quadriplegic paperhanger; he's given skates to climb a mountain and lead combat boots to run the 100-yard dash. He's a broken piece of black lead in a white pencil. It'll never write unless they decide to sharpen it, which is doubtful."

Promises were made after black conservative Armstrong Williams called a meeting in January between disgruntled black Republicans and high-ranking party members. For one, GOP leaders said they would provide 400 intern jobs for black young people this summer. But few jobs have appeared, primarily, say some blacks, because the promise was considered affirmative action and, therefore, out of the question.

Others say Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, isn't going to use one penny of the $200 million being raised for the President's reelection to bring blacks into the party. They point out that Rove has a staff of 60 - all white. He's after the suburban soccer moms and doesn't give a damn about black voters, who he hopes will remain uninvolved and no threat.

If the President wants to go beyond the indifferent attitudes of his party, he will have to go to the people. He can start by declaring war on the urban terrorism inflicted by street gangs and drug dealers. By doing that, he would connect with the people themselves rather than depending on the support of the civil rights establishment, which is out of ideas.

Were Bush to announce that this country will no longer allow Americans to be terrorized and murdered by thugs, he could count on ministers, community leaders and the communities themselves to come behind him. Were federal law enforcement linked to local police and neighborhood-based crimefighting alliances, Bush would draw people to him, including the soccer moms, who would be appalled when they found out how Americans are oppressed by urban crime.

Such boldness could transform the GOP and would greatly better the country. I'm sure of that.

[M 91 u2 K]

If Bush wants to win the black vote he needs to just speak as a true conservative. Bush should have stuck to his guns in the Leave No Child Behind Act and fought for vouchers, something blacks would have been greatful for, but instead he sold out to kennedy in exchange for nothing. Bush needs to talk about the importance of moral and family values. Bush needs to tell them he wants to close the borders to save jobs for them and encourage economic growth in their community through lifting harsh government restrictions. I smell a weak democratic coalition. It has to be weak I mean what do Black Americans who are deeply religious have in common with a mostly rich liberal all white homosexual atheist democratic hierarchy. This is a weakness that needs to be exposed and exploited.

[rintense]

When did he ever specifically make a vow to Black voters?

[JNB]

The GOP has failed time and again to gain any ground in the black vote, like it or not, the Clinton era made the black vote even more anti GOP. What the GOP will target in 2004 is the white female vote and shoot for 40% of the Hispanic vote, anything else is just icing.

[ChadGore]

Jesse Jackson delivers more than 90% of the black vote to the wrong party, and does a great disservice to the country.

[The Old Hoosier]

I smell a weak democratic coalition. It has to be weak I mean what do Black Americans who are deeply religious have in common with a mostly rich liberal all white homosexual atheist democratic hierarchy. This is a weakness that needs to be exposed and exploited.

Very sharp political thinking. This is exactly how to win the Black vote, although it will take generations. I think the same kind of principled outspokenness--not amnesties--will win Hispanic votes too, and more quickly.

[Grand Old Partisan]

On Wednesday, I spoke with RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie, who said the GOP is going to work very hard to attract more African-American voters, no matter what the effectiveness of this approach, because it is the right thing to do.

Exactly!

[dead]

Were Bush to announce that this country will no longer allow Americans to be terrorized and murdered by thugs, he could count on ministers, community leaders and the communities themselves to come behind him.

A handful.

The rest would be screaming about racial profiling. Then the NY Times would explain to us all how Bush’s anti-gang tactics were no better than South Africa’s apartheid enforcement squads.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Bush has sold out or turned his back on so many Conservative issues that it doesn't surprise me he would do the same to Black Voters.

Veterans Issues
Gun Rights
Money to Africa
Prescription Drug Bennies

There are more but my brain is working so slow this morning I can't remember the others.

[Mr. Jeeves]

GOP breaks its vows to black voters (Bush might lose the crucial black vote)

Well, as long as it's only the one vote...

[HEY4QDEMS]

This title is misleading, it assumes that GWB even had a chance of winning the Black vote.

If he wants to win the Black vote, he doesn't need to do anything for them, all he has to do is switch parties.

If he was a Dim and a member of the KKK, he would get 90% of the Black vote.

[Tiger_eye]

Bush might lose the crucial black vote

There is no black vote for Bush. I think he received 9% of the black vote. Democrats got 91%. They are completely in the democrats pockets.

[Luke21]

Good job. The black vote is not even up for grabs. This is a stupid article.

[white trash redneck]

On Wednesday, I spoke with RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie, who said the GOP is going to work very hard to attract more African-American voters, no matter what the effectiveness of this approach, because it is the right thing to do.

Perhaps it is a waste of effort. However, if they go after black voters by pandering to their sense of racial grievance, the GOP will lose its soul.

[dirtboy]

Were Bush to announce that this country will no longer allow Americans to be terrorized and murdered by thugs

And the vast majority of that is black-on-black violence. Exactly WHAT can the president do about that?

[RightWhale]

Jesse Jackson delivers more than 90% of the black vote to the wrong party

Are the black voters mere sheep to follow Jesse Jackson wherever he smells money?

Probably not. There are moral issues out there, and for some reason the Dems are pumping the moral pump the right way for the black voters and several other disadvantaged groups. Meanwhile Republicans are stuck in the John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism interpretation of rights that has been shown and adjudicated unacceptable again and again.

[Dr Warmoose]

When did he ever specifically make a vow to Black voters?

Here we go again. People with dark skin color are inferior and so Equal Protection is once again sacrificed because through some unexplained reason dark skinned people need to have special favors and grace and that is OK by conservative standards.

I'm a minority. I have blue eyes. I demand that the GOP cater to my personal needs and promise me all sorts of preferrances. Otherwise I will vote Demoncat. (though I haven't a single reason why)

As soon as we fight the battle, not based on irrelevant criteria such as skin color, but rather along the lines of culture groups, and why these cultures prefer Demons, then the conservatives will never win. Who do you think came up with idea that there are "races"? Demoncats, God haters and slave makers/poverty pimps. Who is promoting "racial" division? Demoncats, God haters and slave makers/poverty pimps.

Grrrr... You don't win when you play by someone else's rules that were designed to be stacked against you.

[Grand Old Partisan]

It may be a waste of effort, but the book is my contribution to our Grand Old Party.

[rwfromkansas]

Yep, many blacks are deeply religious..........ane sleep around to show it.

lol

[rwfromkansas]

BTW, just because he didn't get vouchers the first go doesn't mean he won't push it again.

[democrats_nightmare]

This article does not make any sense....Does not Bush have Condi Rice and Colin Powell in the cabinet. The limousine liberals under slick willie never had any blacks in the cabinet. In fact the Demonrats always treat their loyal black voters like second class citizens they are never in any power in the jackass party.......I don't know if the blacks will ever wake up to the fact the Demonrats have kept them in perpetual slavery due to them always giving them a handout and not a helping hand up in society...