DISQUS

DISQUS Hello! Jack and Jill Politics is using DISQUS, a powerful comment system, to manage its comments. Learn more.

Community Page

Jack and Jill Politics

A black bourgeois perspective on U.S. politics
Jump to original thread »
Author

McCain And Civil Rights

Started by baratunde aka jack turner · 11 months ago

Partly because I’m just so tired of writing about The Clintons and partly because I have a lot of studying up to do on McCain, I’m going to try posting on the Republican nominee a bit more.

Yesterday, I posted on his curious refusal to co-sponsor or publicly support the new GI Bill. He said he [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "McCain ... Continue reading »

29 comments

  • Listen,


    This site is squarely behind Obama and you will not be voting for McCain vs. Obama. He has 90% of the black vote or more. McCain doesn't have a prayer of winning any of the black vote with Obama as the nominee. Yet McCain is making an effort and it will be analyzed, criticized, accepted or dismissed.



    Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Republican indifference of the black community or Black hostility towards Republicans?



    Republican philosophy of small government, low taxes, individual rights and responsibility is simply not attractive to the 'black community.' The Democrat party and black Democrat leaders have made careers brainwashing blacks against Republicans. Julian Bond likening the Republican Party to the Taliban is just one example of the open hostility the party has received from the black community. Don't even get me started on the hostility towards black conservatives face daily. See your recent posts on Rice and Powell.



    Any sincere outreach by Republicans is summarily dismissed, discredited, etc. Look no further than your post on McCain his MLK speech.



    "He doesn't get it. He doesn't actively care."



    Obviously, your mind is made up. Too bad. Perhaps you could offer some insight into what a Republican would need to do to get a fair shot at the black vote, short of adopting Democrat policies.
  • Okay, so the conservatives will have their say, and we'll spend the rest of the day getting attacked for it.


    McCain recognizes-like other conservatives do-that the black community is not going to listen to his message, because for them to accept it will require work on their part. Conservatives believe that the government does not exist to spoon-feed you, it exists to provide for your basic needs. Most black people aren't receptive to that.



    I'm going to cosign with the above in part: it would be good to see a logical (read: based on some FACT, not just emotion!) discussion on what McCain and the GOP should do to get the black vote.



    Why should McCain-or ANY candidate, for that matter-have to apologize for the way they did/didn't vote on an issue?



    And more importantly: why do some segments of the African American electorate have to be "made nice" to in order to get their vote? Trust, if McCain did suck up to black organizations, you'd throw him under the bus for just "playing politics." Hell, you've already done it with his speech in Memphis.
  • I agree. Aside from the MLK holiday, the Keating Five scandal, the womanizing, and his age, I know nothing about McCain.
  • May we please have a post on...


    Tavis Smiley quitting the Tom Joyner Show



    And...



    Bill Clinton Covering-UP Lies...WITH MORE LIES...THE INFAMY!
  • D,


    Fact based debate on JJP? LOL



    Now...



    I'm waiting for someone to hurl obscenities at me.



    Truth be told, unless Hillary is the nominee, the black community will not give McCain, Republicans or conservatism any thoughtful, serious consideration.



    They will listen to Obama's admonitions to the black community about 'not cussing out the teacher' when your child misbehaves at school, etc. but they will still demand, and he will gladly propose, throwing more money at the huge government funded programs that have done little to improve the lives of blacks. He will, in many cases continue to foster dependence and a sense of entitlement in black Americans like a true Progressive Democrat, who values the power of government to control the 'group' over the 'individual.'
  • "Republican philosophy of small government, low taxes, individual rights and responsibility is simply not attractive to the 'black community.'"


    -Especially after Hurricane Katrina.
  • "Republican philosophy of small government, low taxes, individual rights and responsibility is simply not attractive to the 'black community.'"


    WTF!!!! - the entire black community?



    It would be more attrative if the black community had an equal chance at attaining the resources (that many of the mofos that spew this bs are born into and no nothing different than) that would afford them the comfortability that would free their minds to grasp the concept.
  • Web-


    CNN just did a piece on the lies Bill Clinton has been telling to cover the lies Hillary told.



    The reporter pointed out the fact that the speech was given in the a.m. and that it had been prepared and repeated.
  • "McCain recognizes-like other conservatives do-that the black community is not going to listen to his message,"


    I agree. Given that we won't listen, why do they keep acting as if we will?
  • "to the black community about 'not cussing out the teacher' when your child misbehaves at school"


    Yea, funny, now tell me about all the white parents who show up to bail their kids out of trouble and of course are sucessful. I remember h.s. when all I did was get reprimanded for nothing. The white kids got away with everything. Dare not touch them their parents and everyone is behind them.



    You are a joke!



    Where do you come off disrespecting and making blanket assumptions?



    In addition, I am former black Republican. I think that I have mentioned that on this blog. I left your party. I couldnt be apart of such a party. I am an Independent. I will start by telling you that the Dems did not vilifying you...you did it to yourselves with Billy O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Limbaugh, Buchanan, all those politicans on the right etc etc who continue to make disparaging remarks. Let us all just get real.



    Let me tell you that it is called "principle" and doing the right thing. Ensuring that all Americans have Civil Rights is just the right thing TO DO. Period.
  • "Ensuring that all Americans have Civil Rights is just the right thing TO DO. Period".


    Damn, those first two commenters did pretty successfully redirect this thread, didn't they? Thanks for bringing us back to the point.
  • Suga,
    Ok, if we're gonna be real, black people were turned off to conservatism long before Limbaugh and Fox News.



    Americans had civil rights in 1990. What we wanted then was to be able to throw the discrimination flag at any employer without proof, and to have quotas set aside in hiring. In other words, we didn't want to work to compete, we wanted a handout.



    I'm a registered independent. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. When I got in trouble at school, I got cussed out, not my teachers. I believe in conservatism because I recognize that the government never guaranteed my success.And I don't need them to give me anything; I'm more than willing to work for mine.



    Unfortunately, there's a lot of blacks (and I'm not saying all!) who would rather sit around and complain that the government doesn't take care of them, instead of taking care of themselves.
  • Most? LOL You remind me of Jesse Lee Peterson saying "Not all...not all...but most".
  • D-


    You have a pretty low opinion of blacks and I wish you would immediately stop attempting to speak of them as one body.



    The 1990 civil rights issue is very very serious and before you attempt to accuse an entire race of wanting to falsely accuse whites of racial discrimination, I suggest you do some research.
  • Ms. Martin,
    You missed where I said "some." I've never said that all blacks fit into my picture. Hell, 99% of JJP readers wouldn't fit it, from what I know of (read from) them.



    That still doesn't discount that there is-whether you want to admit it or not-a significant amount of the black populace that is not as well informed as we are that fits what I've described. It's unfortunate, but it's also true.



    I've always held that blacks have more in relation to conservatism than most of us want to believe: we're naturally against abortion and unrealistically high taxes, we want the nation's budget not to blow out of control, and we're against the government intruding more into our lives.



    And just as an FYI, I did my research before I started posting on this thread. If you'd like to debate the details of Kennedy-Hawkins, my email's on my profile.
  • Then why do 90% of us vote Republican? I dare you to tell us why you think that is without implying that we're sheep or plantation dwellers, and without changing the subject. Can you do it?
  • If the Republicans believe in small government, then why did the deficit increase so much under Reagan and Bush?


    Overblown military spending does not a small government make.



    I guess Reagan and Bush aren't Republicans because they didn't get the memo about the party's platform for small government.
  • I'm an independent, undeclared, progressive minded artis who had to register as a democrat in order to caucus for Obama in Maine. When this election cycle is over, I'll tear up my temporary democrat card and remain independent and undeclared.


    This is what I know about John McCain:



    He's an authentic war hero.

    He's anti-gay.

    He's pro-life.

    He's corporatist, despite his work in ethics reforms, which, from my perspective, was all about damage control.

    He's indifferent to civil rights.

    He's got good policies on immigration.

    The media absolutely adores him, so much more than it adores any other presidential candidate.

    He doesn't know that al Quaeda is Sunni.

    He used to be against torture and now he's not.

    He used to find the Bush tax cuts unconscionable and now he wants to make them permanent.

    He used to be a maverick; now he's a panderer who's very uncomfortable pandering. In other words, he's a flip-flopper.

    He's not a straight-talker, despite the hype that he is.

    He's a warmonger through and through.

    He knows how to work across the aisle.

    He's more conservative than the conservative base wants to openly admit.

    He's the presumptive Republican nominee and he isn't exactly sure what to do with all of it.

    He's got a big temper and foul mouth.



    And all of that is off the top of my head.



    I've voted for Republicans for political office, but I wouldn't vote for John McCain for anything.
  • "...indifferent. He doesn't get it. He doesn't actively care."


    Maybe you didn't get the memo announcing the increasingly popular view that it's racist to assume that whites are anti-black until they somehow prove otherwise. Blacks are no longer being viewed as some permanent national basket-case about which everyone else is supposed to "actively care."
  • Uh, 90% Democrat. The point and the challenge still stand.
  • Plantsman,


    I'm with you...



    1. Because the Republican Party has an image problem with blacks, and has not actively reached out to them.



    2. Because the democrats have filled that void by offering unrealistic promises to them, with no concern how their policies will affect the overall health of the nation.



    Craig,

    Bush is trying to reestablish part of his legacy as a fiscal conservative.



    But I find this interesting: didn't a democrat say that we should "pay any price, bear any burden" to protect our freedom? And you want to throw two presidents under the bus who did that?



    Ms. Martin,

    I'm sure you're also out actively looking for a job as well, instead of living at the taxpayer's expense?
  • He said he hasn't had time to read it. I say that's bullshit for a man who's been touring the country on a biography tour based entirely on the fact that he's a veteran. He has time to sell his veteran tale but not ensure that today's veterans are cared for?,




    well said.
  • My freedom has only been threatened by certain Americans. Right here on home soil.


    Militarism is imperialism. It's all about building an empire. It has nothing to do with protecting my freedom. Building an empire is Big Goverment at its biggest.
  • "Militarism is imperialism. It's all about building an empire. It has nothing to do with protecting my freedom. Building an empire is Big Goverment at its biggest."


    Exactly.



    Not allowing a woman freedom of choice and telling people who they can and cannot marry. Yea, thats the government no butting into people's lives.



    In addition,



    I agree with BrownSuga and ms. martin i believe that black conservatives and conservatives in general have a very low opinion of blacks.



    HANDOUTS...NO. RIGHTS that are given to other Americans...YES.

    I hate that philosophy. I hate how people like you D and anonymous equate everything negative with being black. Wow!! It doesnt matter if you say all or some, you are still making sweeping generalizations based on negative assumptions.



    It is always believed tht whites are so wonderful and rightfully are superior and earn everything that they get. Blacks on the other hand want handouts when they ask for respect and basic human rights.
  • Rhonda,
    So I'm guessing the appropriate thing to do is lie and pretend that segment of the black oroilscr doesn't exist.



    Black Americans of this generation (post the 1964 civil rights legislation) have had the rights that were given to other Americans, Now, in all fairness, even after that legislation, we were held at a disadvantage. I acknowledge that. there have been other laws since then that sought to level the playing field.



    I've never once said that everything negative stems from being black (as a black man, that wouldn't be a smart argument to make). What I've said is that there's a segment of the black population who believes the government should do for them what they should do themselves. You know they exist; you may even be related to some, just like I am.



    I've also never said that white Americans were "wonderful, right, and superior." Some whites are just as much a part of the problem, and some of them believe as I've stated above.



    The government has given us our basic rights-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-which is all that the government, in my conservative view, should provide. From there, it's up to you.



    That's been my consistent message.





    ...and-somewhat off this subject-I'm still waiting for someone to show me a recent example of where the US has planted its flag in conquest.
  • That should be "black populace" above.
  • The First Anonymous, your argument is utter garbage and maybe you should crack open a history book,


    Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Republican indifference of the black community or Black hostility towards Republicans?



    I know it might be unbelievable for you but it wasn't black hostility towards Republicans that turned the black community away from their doorstep. To be fair, the democrats and the Republicans have both been fairly racist/classist towards any community that has not been solidly middle class and solidly white.



    Let's take a brief look at the earlier part of the 20th century, both parties exhibited a hatred Jews, Blacks, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans and anything else that didn't fit preconceived notions of dignity befitting a solidly white class. And you know why? Because parties are made up of people and people have prejudices.



    To deny that black people have been socially and fiscally conservative belies that you not only know little about blacks, but know little about historically how they voted.



    You itch to bring up the Dixiecrats to point out the racism in the Democratic party, but don't realize for a second that Republicans.. So, it's not that black people are hostile towards Republicans... many of them, especially fundamentally based church organizations (I mean T.D. Jakes is in the coalition of faith based organizations that Bush set up)..



    It's the attitudes portrayed by a party that has been actively and irresponsibly willing to deny civil rights, however, that didn't stop brilliant black republicans for standing up to and coming out for civil rights. Edward Brooke comes to mind. It's the fact that they crafted something called the Southern Strategy.. where they knew that they didn't need black people to win as long as they could get a white majority.. and if you play on the insecurities and "common knowledge" of the average white person you can divide and say of any community that is not solidly white or middle class "these guys over here are the problem. This is why you can't find work." Then yeah, it's going to be a winner everytime especially when you let people wrap themselves in the flag and completely vindicate any racist feelings they may have.





    -The Logical Anonymous
  • To D & Anonymous:


    No and NO.





    1. Because the Republican Party has an image problem with blacks, and has not actively reached out to them.



    2. Because the democrats have filled that void by offering unrealistic promises to them, with no concern how their policies will affect the overall health of the nation.



    ______________________



    You're both wrong. It's not just an image problem and it's not that they promise dreams. You guys really need to read some history books and start by putting down the Shelby Steele and Patrick Moynihan books.



    The overall health of the nation isn't the fault of only Democrats, you have a long list of Republicans you can thank for that, too. But this is part of the problem, you want to be so partisan and think that it's "these other people" instead of us. I'm fully willing to admit that Democrats have failed the nation, but equally, this country has been failed by politicians. Not just Democrats, it's been a bipartisan failure. Of those who act like they are the parents of a community of people and at once want to chastise each other for the state of communities that they aren't a part of and don't even give a damn about.
  • McCain and The Republican Party has tried to reach out to the Black community in the beginning of his campaign, but since Obama took the Democratic Ticket over Hillary Clinton he back off the Black vote to focus on the Latino Vote. Obama is getting 95% of the Black vote and McCain thinks he don't stand a chance, so he ignore the vote!!
Please login to comment.
Returning? Login