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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy African Americans are sticking with Obama
from Jamelle Bouie at WaPo: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/why-african-americans-are-sticking-with-obama/2012/10/15/78c70596-16d9-11e2-a346-f24efc680b8d_blog.html
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Why are African Americans so loyal to a president who hasnt done much to improve their immediate economic situation? One answer, suggested by Associated Press writer Jesse Washington, is that its racial loyalty. He quotes one man as admitting that he supported Obama over Hillary Clinton in 2008 because he was black.
The main problem with this explanation is that it ignores the reality of high African American support for Democrats. Over the last three decades, blacks have shown overwhelming support for Democratic candidates. Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry received more than 85 percent of the African American vote, with Dukakis hitting 90 percent. Its true that Obama overperformed among African Americans but that had more to do with the national mood; Obama overperformed with all voters.
Beyond that, racial loyalty doesnt do much to explain the general relationship between black voters and black politicians. If African Americans were supporting Obama because he was black, youd also expect them to show similar support for Allen West, Condoleeza Rice, Tim Scott, Herman Cain, and other black Republicans. Of course, the truth is that black Republicans have little support among African Americans: Which, again, speaks to the fact that blacks are Democratic partisans more than anything else.
Despite the scant evidence that racial loyalty drives African American political preferences, the idea continues to hold currency. Theres a lot of reasons for why that might be the case, but for now, Ill offer one: When it comes to political issues, African Americans are still treated as a monolith. We saw that in the spring, when Barack Obama endorsed same-sex marriage and commentators wondered if he would lose support among them, and were seeing it now, as commentators attempt to explain strong black support for the president.
read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/why-african-americans-are-sticking-with-obama/2012/10/15/78c70596-16d9-11e2-a346-f24efc680b8d_blog.html
JustAnotherGen
(31,879 posts)Ever notice how they only really pay attention to us (commentators) when we start to make them uncomfortable? Or - when they need to scapegoat us?
Good read!
joycejnr
(326 posts)...As opposed to white female voters, I was informed yesterday by Mrs. Joycejnr that it's because women are smarter than men.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Not post below.
OldDem2012
(3,526 posts)...just to be clear about this because I'm a staunch Democrat from birth who happens to be a white male.
joycejnr
(326 posts)...that the blue collar, white male in particular leans to the right - typlified by the so-called Reagan Democrats.
Bucky
(54,065 posts)Treating any group of humans--whether it's blacks, Mormons, black Mormons, Texans, or pointy headed intellectuals like me--like they're only part of a group rather than individuals capable of making their own choices and deciding their own best interests, is inherently obnoxious and dehumanizing.
rocktivity
(44,577 posts)Maybe it's because NO ONE in politics has done much to improve ANY of the 98 per cent's financial situation. Or maybe it's because they don't see Romney's policies as being much of an improvement. Either way, it's idiotic to suggest that race is a factor!
Is this the next line of attack in the "Operation Romney Bounce" offensive -- trying to devalue the black vote?
rocktivity
BumRushDaShow
(129,447 posts)when they are trying to stir the hornets' nest. And yes, we are partisan and look after our interests.
When the racist Boll Weevils invaded the GOP, what blacks who were left who had not already fled to support the Democrat Franklin Roosevelt in the '30s, made their final beeline out, and towards those who supported our goals. The fact that absent viable candidates outside of attempts made by Shirley Chisolm or the Rev. Jesse Jackson, having a Barack Obama as the Democratic standard bearer was refreshing.
It's interesting how no one ever asks or questions the Irish on why they idolized JFK, where many households proudly hung his official portrait. But when it comes to the blended-ethnic black population, there are only nefarious innuendo that describes our support for the latest in a long line of Democratic Presidents.
Indykatie
(3,697 posts)including HCR, DADT, a rising economy and markets, improving our reputation abroad, protecting women's right to choose etc. The problem with folks who even ask this question is that they feel the AA community expects "special" policies to address things that they think only affect AAs.