NationStates Jolt Archive

I wonder this because I can't really think of anything that the Democratic leadership did when Clinton was in office, or any legislation that Democrats have tried to pass that was specifically geared toward advancing the rights, freedoms, or the socioeconomic condition of blacks in America. If Blacks are in fact inherently disadvantaged, what have Democrats done in the last two decades to improve their situation? As I said, I can't think of anything, but maybe someone in here is aware of something I'm not--'cause I don't know everything :)

And before anyone starts up with something about maintaining the status quo and keeping the big bad Republican boogymen from taking away their rights or repealing affirmative action or something, I'll point out that Republicans have held the White House and the Congress for most of the last five years and nothing has changed so far--I basically don't want to get off topic and start talking about how the vast right-wing conspiracy to take over the world and oppress the poor or whatever. I'm wondering if Democrats have done anything affirmative for the welfare of blacks.

So have they done anything affirmative? Do they risk losing the solid lock that they have on blacks at the voting booth?

Yeah, democrats probably do take the black vote for granted. But then it's easy to do so because most every black person I hang out with doesn't trust the repubicans and is against the Iraq war. They're pretty isolationist when it comes to foreign policy. (By they I mean my black friends, not blacks in general. I haven't actually taken a poll among a representative sample group.)

Yeah, democrats probably do take the black vote for granted. But then it's easy to do so because most every black person I hang out with doesn't trust the repubicans and is against the Iraq war. They're pretty isolationist when it comes to foreign policy. (By they I mean my black friends, not blacks in general. I haven't actually taken a poll among a representative sample group.)

From what I've read (no I have no links, going by memory) the "black vote" is starting to be split by the heavily religious communities not liking the "liberal" Democratic policies compared to their traditional distrust of Republicans.

From what I've read (no I have no links, going by memory) the "black vote" is starting to be split by the heavily religious communities not liking the "liberal" Democratic policies compared to their traditional distrust of Republicans.

I've seen that Republicans have made some minor inroads--Bush got something like 9% of the black vote in 2000 and like 11% in 2004, but that's hardly what I would call significant. And since this information is based on exit polls, it's probably within the margin of error anyway.

:headbang:

This from someone that complains about "racial preferences."

If you thought you could complain that the Democrats were catering to blacks, you would.

This thread has hypocrisy written all over it.

Do people still think that Democrats and Republicans' policies are all that different? As Brian's Test said, in five years nothing has changed. The Republicans support affirmative action. Liberals and conservatives are different, but the two parties are not really.

:headbang:

This from someone that complains about "racial preferences."

If you thought you could complain that the Democrats were catering to blacks, you would.

This thread has hypocrisy written all over it.

I noticed that you did not answer the question :)

:headbang:

This from someone that complains about "racial preferences."

If you thought you could complain that the Democrats were catering to blacks, you would.

This thread has hypocrisy written all over it.
They do, or rather they cater to certain highly public black community leaders. Really they don't do much for the black population as a whole, however.

They do, or rather they cater to certain highly public black community leaders. Really they don't do much for the black population as a whole, however.

So they do, which you condemn.

But they don't, which you condemn.

How convenient. :rolleyes:

If only those blacks knew what was good for them -- like you do! :headbang:

I noticed that you did not answer the question :)

Meh.

The "question" is rigged and assumes too many ridiculous things.

The Democratic Party stands for policies that a majority of the African-American population supports. I happen to agree with those policies as well.

Your attempt to treat African-Americans as just another special interest group and to weigh the degree to which their interests (as opposed to those of the country) are specifically catered to by Democrats in exchange for votes is simply obnoxious and fallacious.

I also notice you did not deny your hypocrisy.

So they do, which you condemn.

But they don't, which you condemn.

How convenient?
*blinks* How the hell did you pull that from my statement? You're reading waaaay too much into a single sentence.


Now in your next post you criticize BT for treating the black population as a special interest group and then go on to claim that the assumption of the democratic leadership treating it that way is fallacious. While in reality it's really not. Hell, Lyndon Johnson, the man who largely shifted the black population to support the democrats, treated them exactly like that. If you listen to good ole Jesse Jackson or the Rev. Al Sharpton, that's exactly how they treat that same population. As does the democrat leadership today.