If The Democrats Are So Enlightened, Where Are The Black Democrats Representing White Districts?

by John Hawkins | August 1, 2003 9:07 pm

One thing I didn’t touch on in the editorial I wrote this morning about how The Gop Needs To Reach Out To Conservative Black Voters[1], was the fact that the Democratic Party is guilty of the very same racism that it accuses the GOP of engaging in.

Of course, many people have pointed out that the Democratic Party has a history steeped in racism. Think back to Bull Connor and George Wallace in the sixties & then look to former KKK member Robert Byrd who is adored by much of left today.

But you also have to look at perhaps the most telling issue of all; how the left votes. Before I explain what I mean by that, I’m sure that you have heard people point out that there are no black Republicans in Congress and that’s a fair point to make. But it’s also fair to point out that there have been so few black Republicans out there that it has been difficult to recruit quality candidates. While the numbers have begun to climb, only 4% of blacks identified themselves as Republicans in 2000 (it’s now at 10% in 2002 — thanks GWB).

On the other hand, the Democrats have gotten overwhelming support from the black community for decades. Recently for example, Bob Dole only received 12% of the black vote and George Bush did even worse in 2000, with 8% of all black voters pulling the lever for him. But have the Democrats repaid that loyalty?

“Sure” you say, “there are lots of black Democrats in Congress.” Ah, but there’s something you’re missing. Almost all of the black Democrats in Congress are from majority black districts. I suspected that was the case, but even I didn’t realize how few blacks are being elected in districts where they can’t count on support from other blacks to put them over the top. Just look at the numbers I found in an article in the left-leaning American Prospect[2]….

“There is little support for the optimistic view that blacks will win many House seats in white majority districts. The numbers are stark: In the 6,667 House elections in white-majority districts between 1966 (the first election after the passage of the Voting Rights Act), and 1996 (including special elections), only 35 (0.52 percent) were won by blacks.”

So why is it that white Democrats just won’t pull the lever for black candidates? Could it be that some of the same people who call an ex-Klansman the “conscience of the Senate” don’t want a black man representing them? Draw your own conclusions, but if the situation were reversed, the Democrats would be crying racism over those number until they were hoarse.

So if you’re Conservative and black, why stick with the Democrats? They’re going to keep black kids trapped in lousy schools to please the teacher’s unions, they’re going to keep coddling criminals who victimize the black community, and they’re going to keep pushing welfare that’s helping to destroy black families. Why help them do that to the black community & to America, by giving them your support, your campaign contributions, and your vote, when almost no white majority Democratic districts will even vote a black man into higher office?