Why Black voters - and other voters of color - are overwhelmingly loyal to the Democratic Party

[YoungDemCA]

IMHO, the reason for why Black voters - and voters of color in general - are so overwhelmingly loyal to the Democratic Party is quite simple:

Elections have consequences, but when Republicans win, those consequences are disproportionately negative to voters of color. Let's be real: As a middle-class white man, I and other (liberal) middle-class white men may be quite angry (and justifiably so!) if Republicans win the Presidency, but white men like me will not bear the brunt of whatever a President Trump, Cruz, or Kasich will surely do, in terms of aggressively regressive social, economic, and racial policies. Persons of color, on the other hand, absolutely will - just as they always have.

Furthermore, my impression is that Black voters in particular view voting not merely as an individual, personal choice, but as a means of collective action and community solidarity. The Black community knows that their fortunes, as a general rule, rise and fall together. This is especially critical for sympathetic white liberals to understand in light of the racialized context of the Black community and other communities of color being subjugated by the white supremacy that American society is built on. That racialized context, in turn, informs the economic, social, cultural, and political context for ALL Black Americans and other PoC. This cannot be overstated.

Finally, I would add that by and large, within the Democratic Party, Black voters and other voters of color are not the ones who have driven the Democrats to the Right (assuming, of course, that that has really happened across the board, and relative to history...). If anything, voters of color have been the left-wing conscience of the Democratic Party - and of American politics at large. Those who point their fingers at Black Americans for consistently supporting President Obama, or both Bill and Hillary Clinton, really ought to look elsewhere for responsibility. Perhaps they should start with themselves.

Thanks for hearing me out on this, AA Group. Your perspectives have enlightened and challenged me in so many ways. I am so grateful for this community's insights and I am inspired by your solidarity - and bravery, for that matter - in the midst of narrow-minded bigotry, prejudice, and hatred from all sides - Left and Right. Kudos to all of you!

- YoungDemCA

[UMTerp01]

1. Thank you for this POV

Really well said and thought out. I appreciate you being able to look at the perspective of many Black voters when it comes to their loyalty to the Democratic Party. Yes, many SES indicators are not positive for them and other voters of color through 7 years of Obama, but I fear it would be much worse under Republican administration.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. Spot on, YoungDemCA ...

I think it would be helpful if white liberals would understand that the Black electorate, by and large, view all (most) of our votes as defensive votes. We have a half century of evidence to support out view. We recognize that even the most progressive politician, can/will only go so far.

Furthermore, my impression is that Black voters in particular view voting not merely as an individual, personal choice, but as a means of collective action and community solidarity. The Black community knows that their fortunes, as a general rule, rise and fall together.

This lack of understanding makes the frequent claims that more affluent Black folks, such as me and JAG, don't care about poor Black folks, all the more laughable.

I will note (it, ironically, appears) that the farther on the political spectrum to the Left (particularly, the libertarian left, i.e., the Greenwald, Assange, Snowden Crew), the more they ascribe to individualism, while mouthing the sentiment of collectivism. For all their talk about movements/collective action to benefit others, they appear to really be about limiting government's ability to act on anything that does not expand/protect their personal "freedoms" and purse ... to hell with the struggles of the poor, unless they happen to be poor (which most of them are not) ... to hell with the struggles of the LGBTQ Community, unless they happen to be gay (which most of them are not) ... to hell with women's struggles, and, especially, to hell with the struggles of Black/PoC folks (which most are not), even as DU, these days, seems to be the Mecca of recently self-identifying PoC, that have no/little use for pressing for social justice.

[SusanCalvin]

6. I am so glad you are back,

and can (hopefully) speak your mind.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. Thanks ...

But trust ... I will always speak my mind.

[SusanCalvin]

9. I do trust you!

What I don't trust (among other things on my list) is DU.

But one can hope.

[toddwv]

3. I think there are likely many reasons.

Besides the ones you mention, I think that the Democratic Party allows minorities a much much better chance at being represented. Just look at Congressional representatives and the disparity is striking.

Another important factor is that Republicans like to toss around words like "plantation" and thug which I'm sure doesn't exactly win votes from black and African Americans.

Finally... Trump. Do I need to elaborate on this?

[1StrongBlackMan]

8. Well, the (DU) Left ...

has taken to using terms like, "Stockholm syndrome"?

[SusanCalvin]

10. Yeah, I wish I could have read that.

I saw a link to it just today, but, unless I am going crazy, it had been self-deleted.

[SusanCalvin]

11. .

Well, maybe I am going crazy. I don't think I hit post twice...

[Coolest Ranger]

4. Thank you for the awesome OP

bravo

[SusanCalvin]

5. Yep. Repugs suck.

Sometimes Dems may be the best of a bad lot, but reality must be faced.

[Cha]

12. Black Voters have been so loyal to the Democratic Party and I thank them so much!

And, thank you for this YoungDem!