Race and the Democratic Party

redstaterebel · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 128

With all the Obama race baiting comments flying around lately - I was wondering if there is a pattern with the democrats on not allowing blacks to obtain the highest positions inside the party and the government.

I'm sure the democrats would disagree, but this is recent history:

2001: The Clintons torpedo Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson (Black) from becoming chairman of the DNC. Instead, the Clintons installed
Terry Mcauliffe instead.

2003: California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown (Black Female) is nominated to the US court of appeals by President George W. Bush. Democrats in the senate hold up her nomination for 2 years with the threat of fillibuster - not allowing an up or down vote.

2004: The democrats denied Harold Ford Jr (Black Male) from becoming minority leader (and future speaker) in favor of Nancy Pelosi.

2006 - Present:
- former President Bill Clinton plays the race card concerning Senator Obama. Fiarytale, Jesse Jackson won here etc, etc.
- Hillary Clinton attacking Black Obama diminishes Martin Luther King's contribution to the civil rights act favoring Lyndon Johnson as more important.
- Former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey states "hussein" and "madras" over and over during the Iowa campaign at the direction of the Clintons.
- Ed Rendell - current governor of Pennsylvania and former chair of the DNC again plays the race card against Obama - stating that whites won't vote for a black man as President.

Any thoughts on this?

I'm not sure its racism, but i think there is a pattern here. I'm mostly pissed off at the Bill and Hillary race injection into this primary. I'm astonished that democrats aren't pissed off about it.
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Kizzume · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject:

I definitely think that there IS some racist elements to the democratic party--and the sad thing is that I don't think they realize it at all. The sad part about MOST racism in general is that people don't realize it. To some degree, everyone is racist, but when people start making decisions based on that racism that can negatively affect other people, and they STILL don't realize it, that's when it's dangerous, even more dangerous than the people who state their racism blatantly.

jq · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 1089

I think there are racist people in both parties. I mean, if you think about it, both parties are pretty huge and have good and bad politicians in it, and racism is still at large with a good amount of people.

And I would say Bill Clinton is DEFINITELY racist based on the things he said.

Let's not forget though that Obama has come closer than any black nominee on either side in the history of our country. The one black guy running for nomination on the conservative side got absolutely NO coverage. In fact, I only found out about him because of the voters pamphlet that came in the mail. And frankly, I cannot remember his name, lol.

chuq · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 135 Location: Gulf South

redstaterebel · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 128

I still don't get why 90% of blacks vote for democrats - and I have asked several black people that very question. I don't get much of an answer.

Primarily its the promise of freebies .... affirmative action, empowerment zones, etc. Which is disappointing.

Kizzume · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:57 am Post subject:

If you were a minority, I'm sure you'd want the freebies too. I'm not saying it's necessarily a good thing, but it is human nature.

debateman · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 349 Location: New Mexico

I think that the reason African Americans primarily vote for Democrats is the same reason that the GLBT population votes for Democrats. There is a fundamental shift in understanding when you are the member of a minority. I'm not saying that it's correct thinking. If it weren't for the "values voters" in the Republican party, I could very well be a Republican. But I see the Republican party as a party of repressed fear. The Republicans aren't generally open to the issues that matter to minorities, those issues being equality and improved quality of life. The Republican party could be a great party if they weren't hijacked by the Religious Right, Focus on the Family, the Christian Coalition, and the Neo-Con movement.

I believe in fiscal responsibility. I believe in secure borders and a strong military. I believe in creating opportunity through capitalism. I do not believe in the excessive spending that has gripped the party of late. I think that if you are going to have massive spending, the spending should benefit society, not your friends.

If the Republicans were to cut those from the party that wanted to legislate their religion, and they were to uphold the traditional values of fiscal conservatism, I would be more likely to vote Republican.

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:11 am Post subject:

I'm with you there. It SOMETIMES eems that the republican party is OFTEN the party of white Christians and ONLY FOR white Christians. Again, not always, but it sure seems that way a lot.

People are going to vote for whoever it seems most likely that will benefit them personally the most. People don't usually vote for people based on what is good for the country as a whole. I've done that many times in the past myself--voted for whoever will benefit me personally the most, but in this presidential election (not that it matters since the electoral college decides who is president), I'm voting for whoever I think will be the best for the country as a whole.

debateman · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 349 Location: New Mexico

Which is why I am voting for Barack Obama. I think that while his Presidency will benefit me, I think it will benefit the nation even more. I think that Barack has a keen understanding of the divisions that are brining this country down and I think that he is the only candidate with the capability and true desire to reach across the aisle to create progress.

John McCain is a nice enough guy (unless your name is Mitt) and I am thankful for his service to this nation, but I don't think that he will unite the nation. Hillary is far too dividing. So what do we do?

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:26 am Post subject:

I'll vote for Obama if he wins the primary, but I'll vote for McCain if Hillary wins the primary. If it's Huckabee, I'll vote for whoever is running against him.

I agree that McCain doesn't seem like a uniter, but I think he's more uniting than Hillary.

I agree that Obama would have more of an understanding of the divisions in this country.

debateman · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 349 Location: New Mexico

Well I think that foreign relations have to be the top priority of the next President. Either way I will be voting Democratic because I believe that both candidates would nominate Bill Richardson to the Secretary of State position and I think that we need him to help bring America back into the world as a positive force.

redstaterebel · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 128

debateman · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 349 Location: New Mexico

redstaterebel · Joined: 05 Dec 2007 Posts: 128

jq · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 1089

And I hope he endorses Obama before the Texas primaries!