Al Sharpton: 'Progressives' are shortchanging African Americans — again.

[Divine Wind]

Casting aside, for the moment, Al Sharpton's usual race-baiting politics, it's interesting that he notes the crumbling of the Democratic party. The implosion of "progressives", like that of the Republicans, is, IMO, due to a long trend toward extremism and to special interests. Despite Sharpton's acclaim "the most important segment of [the Democratic] base: the African-American voter", the Democratic party has a lot bigger problems than even 87% of a group that constitutes only 13% of the population.

Sharpton goes on to blame the Democrats for too many Black voters sitting on the sidelines. What kind of person blames others for his own group's lack of action?

Al Sharpton: 'Progressives' are shortchanging African Americans — again.

When Jesse Jackson ran for president during the 1980s, as when I ran in 2004, there were progressives in America just like there are today. Those progressives were well-meaning individuals and politicians who shared our views and strongly believed in what we believed in. Despite this progressive political presence, our presidential campaigns were so important and necessary because the voices of black, brown and poorer white voters were not heard by the elites in American politics and government. Our agendas were not getting carried out. There was a great deal of talk back then, but no real action. That same dynamic holds true today.

The press speaks a great deal about the supposed fact that the “Democratic base” is riled up and activated by the state of play in America. This assessment ignores the most important segment of that base: the African-American voter. We are not motivated by anyone right now. While Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., did a remarkable job in the 2016 presidential primaries and went further than anyone thought possible, he did so without the African-American vote, losing among African-American voters by more than 50 percentage points.

While that progressive coalition purported to speak for the African-American voter, it did not talk to African Americans. The so-called Hillary Clinton base of the party, while crushing Sanders, attracted substantially fewer black voters to turn out than in recent presidential primaries. And in the general election, with Clinton running against a novice, the black voter turnout rate declined for the first time in 20 years in a presidential election, falling 7 percentage points compared with 2012. Arguably, that disinterested black vote cost Clinton the presidency.

It would be unfair to claim that leaders like Clinton and Sanders do not care about issues that are important to people of color. They do. However, it is equally inaccurate to claim that the current progressive movement is fueling African-American participation or interest in our political process. It is not. Blacks largely sit on the sidelines while the game of politics is being played around us. In the post-Obama era, there is the sense Democrats feel that people of color — African Americans in particular — have had their chance, and that we should now take a back seat to new leadership and let them handle the politics of today. Such a sentiment is both foolhardy and wrong.

The 21st century version of the rainbow coalition lacks vision and color. Remarkably, blacks still need to fight for a seat at the table and are too often simply stage props for allied elected leaders to make their points. Consider this: In 2016, when Sanders ran for president as a Democrat, there was one black chief of staff in the Senate working for a Republican, and none for Sanders or the Democrats.

Talk is not enough anymore to be on the righteous path for justice and black political participation. Nor is caring about, or sympathy over, unjust policies. An effective progressive movement is more than an intellectual exercise espousing policy goals: It requires action and results. And people of color need to be at the table in large enough numbers to help make that difference. We cannot depend upon action from well-meaning progressives or others who want to fight our fight for us. History proves that change comes too slowly when we rely on that model.

Perhaps it is time for another African-American presidential campaign to fuel black voter interest. Perhaps it’s time to remind people that progressive politics cannot be advanced without results and a fully vibrant rainbow of colors working to make that difference. Two things are certain: African Americans will not be taken for granted again, and progressives invite failure yet again if they try.

The Rev. Al Sharpton is president of the National Action Network. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRevAl

2. Party affiliation among voters: 1992-2016

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts selected: UNITED STATES

 

[MACAULAY]

The Democratic Party now consists almost completely of:

1) Blacks;
2) Hispanics;
3) LGBTQQ (I can never remember all the initials);
4) Corrupt Teachers Unions (and all Teachers Unions are corrupt);
5) Federal Government Employees (can't get a job anywhere else, at least not one where they can watch porn most of the day);
6) Federal Plantation Porch Sitters (Considerable overlap here with the first listed groups);
7) WHITE ELITIST New England/New York Pinheads & West Coast Loons, who have been running the Democratic Party for half a century and are solely responsible for the wreckage that is Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and all the other Rotting Cities which do not even educate their populations; let alone keep them safe.

The Blacks and Hispanics are as sick of the Pinheads and Loons (Like Schumer, Pocahontas, Pelosi, that turd Howard Dean etc.) as the rest of the Country is, and they have decided to take over and run what's left of the Democratic Party.

It will be fun to see how that goes.

 

[Divine Wind]

The Democratic Party now consists almost completely of:

1) Blacks;
2) Hispanics;
3) LGBTQQ (I can never remember all the initials);
4) Corrupt Teachers Unions (and all Teachers Unions are corrupt);
5) Federal Government Employees (can't get a job anywhere else, at least not one where they can watch porn most of the day);
6) Federal Plantation Porch Sitters (Considerable overlap here with the first listed groups);
7) WHITE ELITIST New England/New York Pinheads & West Coast Loons, who have been running the Democratic Party for half a century and are solely responsible for the wreckage that is Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and all the other Rotting Cities which do not even educate their populations; let alone keep them safe.

The Blacks and Hispanics are as sick of the Pinheads and Loons (Like Schumer, Pocahontas, Pelosi, that turd Howard Dean etc.) as the rest of the Country is, and they have decided to take over and run what's left of the Democratic Party.

It will be fun to see how that goes.

Mostly it's young, middle class white kids.

 

[MACAULAY]

The Democratic Party now consists almost completely of:

1) Blacks;
2) Hispanics;
3) LGBTQQ (I can never remember all the initials);
4) Corrupt Teachers Unions (and all Teachers Unions are corrupt);
5) Federal Government Employees (can't get a job anywhere else, at least not one where they can watch porn most of the day);
6) Federal Plantation Porch Sitters (Considerable overlap here with the first listed groups);
7) WHITE ELITIST New England/New York Pinheads & West Coast Loons, who have been running the Democratic Party for half a century and are solely responsible for the wreckage that is Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and all the other Rotting Cities which do not even educate their populations; let alone keep them safe.

The Blacks and Hispanics are as sick of the Pinheads and Loons (Like Schumer, Pocahontas, Pelosi, that turd Howard Dean etc.) as the rest of the Country is, and they have decided to take over and run what's left of the Democratic Party.

It will be fun to see how that goes.

Mostly it's young, middle class white kids.

___________________

Winston Churchill said:

If you are not a liberal when you are 20, you have no heart; If you are not a conservative when you are 40, you have no brain.

So, since this generation did not witness the suffering of the Russian people under the Socialist Regime of the USSR---because it collapsed before they were born.....we may have a slightly larger group, for now, who fall for the Horseshit coming out of that lazy old Socialist Con-Artist Bernie Sanders, who has parlayed young proletarian ignorance and a bribe from Hillary Clinton for his support into THREE HOUSES...(Hillary's bought him one on a lake) .

But, all that will go away when they get out of their mother's basement and get a job where they see the with-holding stub from their first paycheck.

_________

 

[Divine Wind]

The Democratic Party now consists almost completely of:

1) Blacks;
2) Hispanics;
3) LGBTQQ (I can never remember all the initials);
4) Corrupt Teachers Unions (and all Teachers Unions are corrupt);
5) Federal Government Employees (can't get a job anywhere else, at least not one where they can watch porn most of the day);
6) Federal Plantation Porch Sitters (Considerable overlap here with the first listed groups);
7) WHITE ELITIST New England/New York Pinheads & West Coast Loons, who have been running the Democratic Party for half a century and are solely responsible for the wreckage that is Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore and all the other Rotting Cities which do not even educate their populations; let alone keep them safe.

The Blacks and Hispanics are as sick of the Pinheads and Loons (Like Schumer, Pocahontas, Pelosi, that turd Howard Dean etc.) as the rest of the Country is, and they have decided to take over and run what's left of the Democratic Party.

It will be fun to see how that goes.

Mostly it's young, middle class white kids.

___________________

Winston Churchill said:

If you are not a liberal when you are 20, you have no heart; If you are not a conservative when you are 40, you have no brain.

So, since this generation did not witness the suffering of the Russian people under the Socialist Regime of the USSR---because it collapsed before they were born.....we may have a slightly larger group, for now, who fall for the Horseshit coming out of that lazy old Socialist Con-Artist Bernie Sanders, who has parlayed young proletarian ignorance and a bribe from Hillary Clinton for his support into THREE HOUSES...(Hillary's bought him one on a lake) .

But, all that will go away when they get out of their mother's basement and get a job where they see the with-holding stub from their first paycheck.

_________

Winston Churchill was wise man but it is misattributed to him. The saying, however, is correct!

If You Are Not a Liberal at 25, You Have No Heart. If You Are Not a Conservative at 35 You Have No Brain | Quote Investigator

 

[Synthaholic]

"Not now, Al."