Why Do 90% of Blacks Vote Democrat?
Gospel Today, Sept/Oct. 2004, p. 48
For 75 years after the Civil War, most Blacks voted strongly Republican in memory of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1936, that changed as Democratic presidential candidate, Franklin Roosevelt captured the majority of the Black votes. However, since 1976, the majority of Black voters have aligned with Democrats.
However, many question whether that loyalty has been rewarded and whether it is still warranted. Rev. Floyd Flake remarks, "I think there is a swnse from the days of Roosevelt that the Democratic party has our best interest at heart. Sadly, that has meant that in many instances the party has been able, by virtue of the fact that the predominant proportion of African American elected officials are Democrat, to merely speak though those persons but not speak directly to the needs of our people.
Flake sites mal-performing schools, out of control police departments and other social ills in Black communities as examples of this deteriorated Democratic effectiveness.
"You could right a whole list of [wrongs] that don't get addressed," says Flake, "largely because we think the Democrats are going to deliver. They do deliver 'power' to the powerbrokers but not necessarily to the people."
The flip side of Black loyalty to the Democratic party has been lack of access to the Republican platform. So much so, that in 1964 Republican presidential nominee, Barry Goldwater openly stated that he was writing off the Black vote and that he opposed the Civil Rights Act. (Ed -- It should be noted that there is no direct quote of him saying that. Also Goldwater was a founding member of the Arizona NAACP and a member until his death in 1998. Goldwater also desegregated the Arizona Air National Guard before President Harry S Truman desegregated the entire U.S. Armed Forces.) He went on to tell Southern Republicans, they "should go hunting where the ducks are" indicating that they could not (and did not need to) win the Black vote.
Things are not so different today. "What happens now," explains Flake, "is that Democrats assume they have the African American vote. Therefore they really don't deliver much. Republicans assume that the African American vote belongs to the Democrats, so they simply ignore them. What happens after the election is, if Democrats win, Blacks don't get any more than they would have gotten. If Republicans win, you have no access whatsoever."
Floyd challenges the Black church to begin to understand the system and the issues and make informed decisions rather than the ones that are historically-influenced.
"We have a two-party system," emphasizes Flake. "Even though [pastors] will be criticized for having Republicans come into their church; it is better to have the balance and let the people make their decisions. Have the Democrats and the Republicans come and let the people make an informed decision."
Rev. Flake said in same issue of Gospel Today, "The Republicans, from a theological perspective, are closer to the majority of African American churches. On the other hand, the social issues and needs are primarily issues that resonate better from the Democratic side. That's the reason I can't say to you that one party will do better than the other. Even when our government is in Democratic control, we still see our problems remain basically the same...(the solution is) to give enough votes to both sides, so that at the end of the day we can negotiate with either party to be able to get those things that are in the best interest of our people."
For 75 years after the Civil War, most Blacks voted strongly Republican in memory of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1936, that changed as Democratic presidential candidate, Franklin Roosevelt captured the majority of the Black votes. However, since 1976, the majority of Black voters have aligned with Democrats.
However, many question whether that loyalty has been rewarded and whether it is still warranted. Rev. Floyd Flake remarks, "I think there is a swnse from the days of Roosevelt that the Democratic party has our best interest at heart. Sadly, that has meant that in many instances the party has been able, by virtue of the fact that the predominant proportion of African American elected officials are Democrat, to merely speak though those persons but not speak directly to the needs of our people.
Flake sites mal-performing schools, out of control police departments and other social ills in Black communities as examples of this deteriorated Democratic effectiveness.
"You could right a whole list of [wrongs] that don't get addressed," says Flake, "largely because we think the Democrats are going to deliver. They do deliver 'power' to the powerbrokers but not necessarily to the people."
The flip side of Black loyalty to the Democratic party has been lack of access to the Republican platform. So much so, that in 1964 Republican presidential nominee, Barry Goldwater openly stated that he was writing off the Black vote and that he opposed the Civil Rights Act. (Ed -- It should be noted that there is no direct quote of him saying that. Also Goldwater was a founding member of the Arizona NAACP and a member until his death in 1998. Goldwater also desegregated the Arizona Air National Guard before President Harry S Truman desegregated the entire U.S. Armed Forces.) He went on to tell Southern Republicans, they "should go hunting where the ducks are" indicating that they could not (and did not need to) win the Black vote.
Things are not so different today. "What happens now," explains Flake, "is that Democrats assume they have the African American vote. Therefore they really don't deliver much. Republicans assume that the African American vote belongs to the Democrats, so they simply ignore them. What happens after the election is, if Democrats win, Blacks don't get any more than they would have gotten. If Republicans win, you have no access whatsoever."
Floyd challenges the Black church to begin to understand the system and the issues and make informed decisions rather than the ones that are historically-influenced.
"We have a two-party system," emphasizes Flake. "Even though [pastors] will be criticized for having Republicans come into their church; it is better to have the balance and let the people make their decisions. Have the Democrats and the Republicans come and let the people make an informed decision."
Rev. Flake said in same issue of Gospel Today, "The Republicans, from a theological perspective, are closer to the majority of African American churches. On the other hand, the social issues and needs are primarily issues that resonate better from the Democratic side. That's the reason I can't say to you that one party will do better than the other. Even when our government is in Democratic control, we still see our problems remain basically the same...(the solution is) to give enough votes to both sides, so that at the end of the day we can negotiate with either party to be able to get those things that are in the best interest of our people."
posted by Robert at 10:39 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home