Democrats And Leakage of The Black Vote

Given Al Sharpton's recent remarks about finding Pro-Life Democrats what do you think is going on with the Black vote???

Are we leaking that much, and if so what do you feel the solution would be??

This is propaganda, and the right-wing is totally perpetuating it. The more you talk about it, the better chance it has of becoming a reality. They've also tried to do this with the youth vote.

It is propaganda.

I totally reject the idea that talking about the black vote is going to cost us the black vote.

The truth is that the Republicans haven't given up on either the youth or the black vote. And we should be prepared to counter their arguments.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

just look..

A group with ties to Newt Gingrich has announced a "Mayflower Compact for Black America", which includes plans to organize in key states ahead of the 2006 and 2008 elections. The Heritage Foundation will cosponsor a gathering of black conservatives in Washington designed to counter dominance of the "America-hating black liberal leadership" and to focus African American voters on moral issues.

http://afronetizen.blogs.com/afronetizen/2005/02/gop_sees_a_futu_1.html"

They will try to coopt the black vote with a stream of propaganda, lies and disinformation.

All the while they will continue their plans to disenfranchise black voters any way they can.

While watching C-Span this morning Brian Lamb pointed out this article about Al Sharpton and it surprised me. Especially since Al Sharpton never seemed to be headed in this direction before. Or maybe I just never noticed it from him.

BTW, I'm not black myself but am probably more inclined to feel that blacks have been overly targeted by the criminal justice system, and in the lack of educational opportunities. I'll include most minorities in the above statement.

Mayflower? They're actually referencing the wooden ship that brought the pilgrims, which is a thin veneer away from just using the name of a slaveship, to woo BLACK Americans? Why not just go straight with; "The SlaveTrader Contract On Negroes" and stop pretending already?

Did I just have a stroke, because this isn't making sense to me...

I do not know of a problem beyond the usual village pride wanting more of their village in the mix of "bosses". Indeed that desire affects every group that is part of the Democratic Party.

A need to focus American voters on moral issues via the Democratic Party includes a need to do so for the parts of the party like African American voters. We could begin by pointing out Bush's consern for "life" via Terri - and total lack of concern for "life" for the 30,000 vegie or near veggie state folks now on Medicaid as he guts Medicaid.

...can completely ignore their legitimate economic interests and be distracted by the hypocritical "moral values" scam, then I guess black people can start, too.

We as Democrats need to see that being "pro-life" isn't a bad thing. We can work with "pro life" people to decrease the number of abortions through education and protection. We can't work work with the anti-choice republicans who think it is not hypocrisy to attack abortions AND education/protection failing to see that you can only lower one by raising the other. I can just imagine the electoral windfall that would come from our promoting the creation on viable artificial wombs and fetus extraction methods with a longterm goal of being able to serve both the rights of the mother to control her own body and the "rights" of the fetus. Seriously if Harry Reid and Dennis Kucinich stood in front of America promising funding for such research, and increased funding for sexual education/protection as a means to do more about "saving babies" than the GOP and its attack on reproductive rights via Terri Schiavo. The Democratic Party needs to show America that You can be pro-life AND pro-choice. Replace the wedge with a funnel!

If we don't stand for black causes we will lose their votes and we should. If we are pushing universal healthcare, universal free education through college including repayment of student loans, moving education funding from property to income tax based, etc and you will see a large increase in black registration, turnout and party loyalty.

But another person who was on C-Span this AM, named Omar (forgot his last name) also said that he felt that we are only garnering 2/3rd's of their vote, when in the past it was much higher. At least 90% most of the time. So there must be SOMETHING going on.

I do feel we need to reach out to them MUCH MUCH more and not take them for granted, because I think we HAVE done that. From what I see going on with the "D" side of the aisle, the white people can't even get our Rep's to stand up for us either. One BIG fear that may actually come to fore, is that they won't EVEN VOTE AT ALL!

I remember before the election when I approached many minorities, they basically told me they either didn't know WHO they were going to vote for AND some others just said they didn't care and weren't going to vote. So there is a danger here and I think WE need to find a way to reach out to them. And I don't think Howard Dean can do this alone!

community. Push things that matter to them such as universal education (ie moving away from property taxes funding local schools + free college) and universal healthcare.

The anti-war movement is also huge in drawing them in 2006 & 2008.