Black Identity Politics is Dead!!! What the Democratic Party is getting wrong about Black Voters.
Kamala Harris bowing out of the 2020 Presidential race is just the latest reason why the Democratic Party is losing its most loyal voting bloc. Cory Booker will soon do the exact same as his poll numbers are dwindling, and while Deval Patrick has entered the race, he may exit soon after. To all the black voters whom are DEM Party loyalist, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is going to continue if a course correction in campaign strategy and policy is not addressed. Here are six reason why DEMs are losing the black vote.
1) The “Obama Coalition” is dead. Yes I said it it’s dead. Majority of the black voters especially under the age of 50, are done with black identity politics. All the black media pundits on CNN and MSNBC will have you believe that they have the pulse of the black electorate when in all actuality they are not talking to anyone outside of the donor and boule class. Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 trying to re-energize the Obama coalition, while pandering to black voters in a way that seemed uncomfortable. She failed simply because she did not have an agenda for black voters, many whom had grown tired of Obama. While Hillary managed to get 88% of the black Democratic vote, one must ask how much of the black independent vote did she receive. So I ask, what would give Kamala Harris the idea that running on respectability politics while not offering any tangible policies to black voter, could be the answer to propelling her to the White House? Cory Booker should look at his strategy and commit to advocating for a black agenda. Why try and chase down the Obama/Trump voter when you can energize an entire new electorate? The election will not be won in Iowa or New Hampshire.
2) Just because you are melanated does not mean we automatically owe you allegiance. Being black is no longer going to get you a pass from black voters especially when your record of accomplishments on black issues is a pathetic as Harris’s was. Every single city and congressional district that is ran by Black politicians has been ran in the ground. Show me a city or a congressional district that is thriving economically that currently has a black politician as its standard bearer. The CBC has turned their back on their constituents and would rather fight for issues that do not have anything to do with the people who voted for them. Black police chiefs are turning a blind eye to corrupt police officers to maintain the blue wall. Poverty is high and homelessness is thru the roof. I know some people will say why hold them to a standard that their white counterparts are not and my answer is simply I didn’t vote for those folks my elected official share my skin color. Black voters are now more than ever vetting candidates based on policies.
3) Black voters are sick and tired of being the bottom caste. If you are constantly being asked, What your Black agenda is? by voters at events, you may need to draft an agenda and make it part of your campaign. You can’t continue to ignore the voters and yet beg for them to vote for you. Simply showing up at black churches, restaurants or listening to hip-hop may have work in the past, but now that type of pandering is a recipe for disaster. By every metric the median household income for a Black family of 4 is set to be zero by 2053. Reparations for ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) and an effective economic strategy should be in every politician’s campaign strategy if you are looking to energize black voters.
4) Getting Trump out of the White House is not a black issue. For as much as people complain about Trump, and want him gone, black voters were not the reason he was elected nor should we be the mule to remove him from office. The only way enthusiasm will be generated by black voters under 50 is actually speaking to us about how you are going to change our lives. We simply want you to know that our lives matter, our issues matter and we will no longer allow you to ignore us, thinking our vote is in the bag.
5) Al Sharpton is no kingmaker. Sharpton has no power among young black voters, nor does he have his ear to the streets. Meeting with him for lunch and a photo op will yield you no credibility nor will it have any benefit to getting the black vote. We view him just like we view the NAACP and the Urban League, as these organizations have been on the wrong side of the political sphere for decades. Truth be told, they share in the blame for black issues not being taken seriously. For years they have allowed the Democratic Party to continue its’ benign neglect of black people, while simultaneously benefiting financially from kickbacks and donor money. The actions of their leaders run counter to the mission of the organizations themselves. Now more than ever a complete shift in ideology must be made in order for these organizations to become relevant again.
6) Incorporating black activists and grassroots organizers into your campaign is the best strategy moving forward. If you want to know the true pulse of the black voter, candidates are going to have to have leaders from their communities on the campaign and helping to draft policy positions. Ignoring our causes and plights will end your political aspirations before they start. Seeking an endorsement from another politician isn’t viable in today’s climate, especially if that politician isn’t popular in their own district or state.
Tom Perez needs to understand that ignoring black voter issues is not a winning strategy. Look at how many incumbents are being primaried and all the other articles that show that black voters are not enthusiastic. Maybe more dominoes are going to have to fall before they figure it out. The DEM party has been warned. The ball is in your court.
