Views > November 8, 2006

Make Democrats Earn Black Votes

The Democratic Party has been taking Black votes for granted for decades.

By Laura S. Washington

Since the New Deal, the black American electorate has voted overwhelmingly Democratic. Since the 1960s, no Democrat has won the White House without the black vote. Our voting behavior has been so lopsided that it could lead one to question our collective intelligence, or lack of it.

After Lyndon B. Johnson proposed and got the Voting Rights Act passed in 1965, African Americans’ commitment to the Democratic Party made sense. But what has the Democratic Party done for us lately? Are black Americans well served by our slavish devotion to the party?Are our elected officials wise to dance in this one-party minuet? Are we cutting out own throats by cutting our connections to Republicans and third party movements?

Have we sold ourselves too cheap?

Difficult and complex questions, all. Let me propose a suggestion, not a conclusion.

Try this baby out: A couple is in a very heavy and promising relationship, but one of them still isn’t getting the goods. If the sex is good, but you’ve still got issues, what does a mature couple do? Do you split up and assume the next time around will be more fruitful? Does a woman move on, figuring, “Well, maybe the next guy will do a better job of trimming his nose hairs, and make more money to boot?”

Absolutely not! You work it out. Black political leaders can’t afford to be feckless or irresolute. They must instead communicate to a flinty Democratic leadership and apply pressure.

We have the power to extract specific policy initiatives and legislation. African Americans will be a key element in the coming Democratic revival in Washington. It’s time for them to extract their pound of flesh.

John Conyers, forget about impeachment. Here’s one simple, concrete proposal we can shove down the throats of both parties: It’s time to revive the call for Statehood for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Census estimates that there are 550,521 residents of Washington, D.C. About 60 percent are African American. That means D.C. has a larger constituency than Wyoming (are you listening, Dick Cheney?). Yet D.C. is muzzled when it comes to having a full-throated voice in the nation’s capital.

The District of Columbia does elect a representative, currently Eleanor Holmes Norton, but has no advocate in the U.S. Senate. If D.C. achieved full statehood, it would elect two senators—most likely black, most likely Democratic. That would be an excellent thing. Sen. Barack Obama needs both the comfort and the competition. U.S. Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.) may well be on his way there—but can you imagine the attention and clout that four black senators would draw?

It doesn’t hurt that it was Barack Obama who co-sponsored the No Taxation Without Representation Act of 2005. The proposal, which calls for D.C. statehood, notes that D.C. residents are the only Americans who pay federal income taxes and who have fought and died in every American war but are denied voting representation in the Senate.

Senators can corral more power and respect than just about anyone else in either Washington or the heartland. Black folks need that juice.

It won’t be easy. No one believes the Republicans will quietly abdicate on statehood. If black leaders really push this one, even Democrats will privately scoff and admonish us to be realistic. 

Is it realistic to think we can continue to disenfranchise a half million voters? By golly, would our founding fathers have tolerated such a scenario? Of course, if our founding fathers knew those people were black, they would have gleefully shut the door on D.C. statehood. Back in the day, only property owners could vote—and blacks and women were chattel (so maybe we shouldn’t go there).

Fortunately, the founding fathers’ concept is constantly being updated and revised.

D.C. Statehood could be a litmus test for the Democratic Party’s loyalty to African American voters. Candidates could be screened on where they stand on the question. Hardly a revolutionary concept, but a worthy one.

The perennial conundrum faced by black political leaders is moving past lofty rhetoric and turning it into actual deeds. Again, not easy. 

Only a united political front will get us there. It will call for some serious horse trading. Some will be accused of sectarianism. Black elected officials continually confront this charge because of the nature of their struggle and a lack of resources. They generally represent poorer districts that produce less prosperous war chests.

Still, it’s time. Black folks have vainly supported Democratic Party blunders and charades for half a century. After Nov. 7, the marching orders of the Democratic Party must be in tune with the color of its soul.

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• Reader Comments

  As a white who was born in DC 62 years ago at the end of this month, I
  do agree with the author here. Normally I strongly dislike the playing of
  the black race card but the status of DC is indefensible. The Democrats should have pushed this through long ago but better late than never.
  I was glad for the many Demo victories but after reading about Harold
  Ford’s disgusting pandering to the Right I’m glad he lost. I know the
  GOP guy’s worse, they always are but there have to be limits to this
  DLC/Blue Dog crowd pulling all the strings.

  Posted by blondemike on Nov 8, 2006 at 3:07 PM

  blondemike....There is no race card being played here...Race has always been an issue in Amerika...just because yu as an individual decide that black folks are okee dokee...doesn’t change the realities of racism...I agree that statehood is a viable issue that needs to be addressed...but the larger question of race will still be an issue , long after statehood is or is not ratified....Ms.Washington has only scratched the surface , as far as issues confronting black folks in the District....One would wonder how yu would feel , if Ms. Washington really confronted all of the issues black folks in DC have to deal with....This is not a “ black race card “...this is reality....
  Try Tony Williams and Gentrification....all the construction going on , but very few blacks being hired for these positions...the public schools...few activities for youth...etc...all of these issues, have a racial factor that needs to be addressed....Redhorse...born in DC 46 years ago...my good neighbor…
  Now concerning the Democract vs Republican situation...I would guess that , playing both parties against each other makes sense, but most black folks don’t like or trust the republican party...Generally… blacks who embrace and join the republican party , do so for personal “ fast track “ reasons...not to lobby for the good of the community...Sec..Rice , Justice Thomas...former Lt Gov Steele...These individuals care little about the communities that nurtured them...they feed off the black communities strengths, for there own selfish desires....period..Many black Democrats are the same way Harold Ford being a good example…
  From the Horses perspective , progressive policies are what is needed , but seldom put forward as alternatives....Fix the public school infrastructure. change the curriculum too something that resembles the students that yu are teaching...push mathematics, science and AP classes like it’s going out of style...and drop this “ teaching to the test.”..nonsense...for a start…
  Hopefully Adrian Fenty will begin this process....
  Concerning Ms. Washingtons analogy of a relationship...Redhorse would leave that relationship...too abusive....

  Posted by Redhorse on Nov 9, 2006 at 2:24 AM

  I actually agree with most of what you write but you are making some rather large assumptions about what I think. Blacks as well as whites
  have played the race card for generations now. I understand that whites
  started it but that hardly makes it right. There are a great many things
  wrong in black culture and society that can’t be solely blamed on whitey.
  When people like Cosby and McWhorter, who are not conservatives, start to tlak about the rampant crime and sociopathology in Black America they gets shouted down by ignorant lefties, who are more often
  than not the worst kind of condescending white liberals. I never remotely said that all was well with blacks, anyone who would claim that has to be literally insane. Nor did I imply all was well with race relations ! Again, no sane person would claim that !
  I agree with you about progressive politics but that cuts both ways.
  Here in Oakland we had 20 years of a do-nothing Black Machine under
  Wilson and Harris, then the last eight years of openly rightwing government under Jerry Brown that operates of, by and for the realtors,
  landlords, developers, contractors and business generally. Unfortunately there are plenty of greedy Blacks in on this take, I think
  they call it Affirmative Action in awarding contracts !
  Ford deserved to be defeated even despite the GOP’s crude racist ad.
  He ran a down the line rightwing campaign.
  I still have an 83 yr old Aunt who lives in the Brookland section of NE DC.
  So I try to keep up on it.
  As I said I largely agree with you but blacks DO play the race card too.

  Posted by blondemike on Nov 9, 2006 at 12:37 PM

  Now blondemike...I believe that yu are mis-reading my point....

  Blacks in Amerika do need to make the Democrats earn their vote...Stating that point , living it , breathing it...is not playing the race card...Shouting that reality, from the highest hilltop in DC....IS NOT PLAYING THE RACE CARD…

  Point...the only race card playing black folks in amerika are usually the ones who are the main adherents too, or doing the bidding of the “whitey “ way of doing things, following the agenda that is least likely to bring about positive change in the Black community…

  So first...when people of Afrikan descent , who have and still are the recipients of institutionalized , legislated apartiedism in this Amerika ,speak out and stand up on issues concerning the nature of their survival ; that is not “ playing the race card...”

  That’s just speaking truth in opposition to injustice…

  Now when Sec. of State Condolezza Rice made the statement ; reacting to the press, raising the issue that the Gov’ts.. ie… Bush administrations slow non-reaction to the Katrina disaster was a sign of the indifference and generally egregious racist nature of the Bush regime....Her response was ...” that’s ridiculous...I’m an Afrikan-amerikan..woman...”,

  That was playing the race card....

  The president....using his power to appoint people of diverse ethnic backgronds...looks good in the photo op...but is nothing but race card playing....Money and power can play that game...because they possess and controll the capital resourses and media engine tools too back it up with an overload of ..."ain’t Amerika great “....rhetoricalized propaganda....

  Redhorse doubts that Ms.Washington has access to the enormous amounts of money and media needed to effectively execute that program.of race card playing...that is soo effectively executed by our adversaries...many miss the obvious nuances.

  The idea of race cardism is a misnomer when analyzed from your viewpoint…

  Black folks ...tend to shout...because nobody is listening...this is not the same thing.as play a game...this is survival in a hostile enviroment.....

  Posted by Redhorse on Nov 11, 2006 at 5:54 AM

  Now Cosby was wrong in what he said...because, and I’m going to make this point real quick....basically what he said...or what was heard by the youth is that…

  First...all this mess in the Black community is your(meaning young folks) fault...All yu have to do too make it in Amerika is to ...pull your pants up...cut your hair...and speak proper english…

  Now if that was true...we won’t be having this conversation…

  It was an extremely disingenuous statement that may have had entertainment value among adults...but severely missed the mark concerning accuracy as far as what is really happening....

  Secondly ,Cosby has a tendency to drop into character when doing these presentations, which again is disingenuous..

  Now I believe he means well, but has lost contact with the realities that he is speaking about…

  .Additionally his recent legal problems concerning sexual assualt...tend to point out the fact that the youth are more likely too be the victim and not the pretator....so why lecture to them..talk to the adults.

  We are the ones responsible for our childrens safety and developement...It’s like he was saying;...” look , I have mine...and I have no ideas beyond that point...’…

  Hell...the youth already know that...that’s why their pants ride so low.....

  Posted by Redhorse on Nov 11, 2006 at 7:06 AM

• extended discussion >>>Continued...

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