Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Is the Grass Greener?
Democrats and RepublicansRepublicans and Democrats
Hmm...
Y'know, any way you slice it, neither party really holds great hope for uplifting of the masses of Black folk.
It used to be heresy to criticize the Democratic Party for lack of reflecting and advancing the needs and perspectives of our people; after all, what were you gonna do- join the Republican Party? Ha!
The Democratic Party rode the wave of Black loyalty from the modern Civil Rights Movement through the turn of the century.
Now the generation that grew up with the benefits of the Civil Rights victories are coming of political age and feel no intrinsic loyalty to the Democratic Party.
However, the question still remains: what are you gonna do- join the Repulican Party?
From the last presidential election it appears that some of our brothers and sisters aren't necessarily joining the GOP wholeheartedly, but are voting Republican.
The better of two evils is still evil.
So the question must be raised: what about other other parties?
What if a crop of new candidates emerged from the Green and Libertarian parties? Young, dynamic, and Black?
What if we threw out the old conventions of supporting either the Repubs or Dems en masse?
What if we as individuals, with each of our respective personal opinions, joined a party we actually believe in?
Is the grass greener with the Greens, Libertarians, or other parties? Or is the Democratic Party the best we can do right now?
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The grass is pretty green elsewhere...
(And a very bright, luscious shade of green with no party affiliation!)
Excellent blog, glad I found it through Oscars Kos Diary today. Excellent information! Will link
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But then, how should we as black folks change? what strategies should we have to make the political system work for us, irrespective of the parties in charge.
what all political parties have in common is listening to black people just enough to get what it wants. No more, unless we reach to get more.
You might want to ask. What are we willing to do within the Democratic Party or in any party to uplift ourselves?
The one thing all the parties share in common is criiticize the Democrats. That includes other Democrats when it concerns African American representation.
Personally, the Libertarian, Republican, Green parties don't agree with my political views. It would take one of them tossing out their entire platform, and apologizing for their previous positions. Then they would have to take up a majority of my beliefs before they would receive my vote.
If all a candidate has to be is "Young, Dynamic, and Black". That's setting the bar low for what it'll take to get African Americans to vote for that candidate. Most people vote on the issue and that's the only way there would be a major shift in African American community voting preference.
Frankly, the Democratic Party is a party I believe in. There's a lot of stuff I'd change, but that's my fault for not participating more.
The dream party you suggest wouldn't be any different from the others. I'm sure African American can start a party of our own. Getting a platform that the community would agree on would end up ticking off the conservative, moderate or liberal factions of our community.
Waiting for some dream candidate or party to sweep you off your feet isn't going to defeat the problems we face in the here and now.
What else can we do to uplift ourselves within the Democratic Party? Most if not all Democratic candidates can anticipate 80% Black support, and the Congressional Black Caucus is entirely Democratic. The Democratic Party is either silent or impotent on some of the more significant issues in our commmunity: reparations, criminal justice system/prison reform, war on drugs, disparities is healthcare, wealth-building, financial literacy, etc. etc.
My question is not rhetorical- I really want to know what we can do more to uplift ourselves within the Democratic Party. The way I see it, we give and give and give and get just about nothing.
I've started to question what we're really doing for the party. I question it just as much as I see what the party hasn't done for us.
On reparation you're correct the majority of the Democratic Party won't touch that issue. When it comes to criminal justice, prison reform, healthcare disparities, many do deal with the issue. They also usually don't win.
You're correct that the Democrats are impotent. Their made that way by the system that values the majorities. Democrats don't have majorities nationally, and in a lot of State Houses. Because the Democratic Party and our community are a minority in politics we need to go outside of government when it comes to uplifting ourselves.
What we can do within the party is each of us has to decide. Are we all the way in? Will we just vote and hope things get better. I read post by African American proud of their friends or family not voting Democratic. Those same people well turn around and complain that the Democrats aren't doing enough. I look at my own inaction as part of the problem. I've voted for Democrats since I turned 18, but I've never donated money or time to a campaign. Voting is great, but the RNC didn't just win with votes. They were able to get money and side organizations to take down Kerry. I realize our community might not have the extra time between longer work hours, family and other obligations.
We have a choice of doing what the Evangelical Christians did within the RNC. They are a minority within the RNC and they took it over. They sat on their hands and wouldn't vote for Bush I's reelection or even Dole. That got them two terms of Clinton and I think you'd agree they weren't happy about that. When Bush II came along they didn't sit out and started to push the party to the right. Their members started canvassing within their neighborhood. They got informed and would do business with companies that donate money to the RNC. They went as far as surrounding themselves with other evangelist in their neighborhoods. There's the question of what agenda do we agree on and are willing to fight for ceaselessly. We can't show up for the Democratic Party or any party every four years. The Democrats can't only show up three months before an election and expect our vote.
The problem we are facing is the same problem most communities and issue's group within the Democratic Party faces. We want them as a party to push our agenda, but we don't push for other group agendas and they don't push ours. That means hard choices of deciding are we really for Civil Rights? Do women when it comes to abortion have rights? Same goes for our silence when it comes to the GLBT community and their agenda. We have to stick up and advocate for other groups. If we expect them to puch our goals.
The RNC has different groups with counter productive goals. You think the small government faction likes the Evangelical Christians involving the Government in personal issue? You think they like watching Bush increase the size and scoop of government to satisfy the Neoconservatives? They back each other even though they are dynamically against each other.
Talib said...
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THANK YOU! My RSS tickers out of control,. need to clean it out- thanks for the reminder.
Will check here daily !!
That anonymous post was by me, rogue emissary.