The Black Vote Needs to be Up for Grabs

We’re in yet another election cycle. I mean we just got out of the midterms. Now we have a bunch of people running for President on the Democratic side and we may see a primary challenge to President Trump. Throughout all of this the Black vote will likely play a pivotal role in deciding whether or not Trump stays in office.

The Black vote is interesting. Despite gains made by the Republican Party to either shift or suppress the Black vote it is still vital to the outcome of the election. The Republicans would be doing something to get even ten percent of the Black vote. Unless there is a serious national event that causes a shift in voting patterns and despite the much publicized but overrated support of Trump by Black males that ten percent threshold may not be reached.

Also because of the Republican base it wouldn’t be politically smart to make a lot of noise about getting the Black vote. In general the Republicans just need enough Blacks not to vote. Regardless of the situation, the Republicans generally plan to win without getting a significant amount of Black support. In other words they don’t have to seriously cater their message to Black people.

Now even though the Democrats get overwhelming support of the Black electorate there are problems there as well. Generally the Democrats can take the Black vote for granted. It was the Black vote that got Barack Obama elected twice. Despite pointing out the support he got from other groups the Black vote made a big difference in critical battleground states. Even having the first officially Black President, many rank and file Blacks as well as the intelligentsia feel like the Black Agenda was ignored.

So we have one group that can get away with blatantly ignoring the Black vote and another group that takes that same vote for granted. That’s not going to work for the Black community. As commentators have been pointing out since at least the 1970’s, (by my personal recollection) the vote is the Black community is our only wealth. Hence why many Black leaders have looked to the vote to change our collective condition. Still hasn’t worked for the greater Black community. It’s time for a change. It’s time for an independent Black political movement.

There have been attempts to form an independent Black political party since at least the National Black Political Convention in 1972 in Gary, Indiana. As we know nothing long lasting came from that convention. There have been other attempts as well. I would posit that the goals of such a party may have been too ambitious.

Instead of a Black political movement on par with the Democratic or Republican Parties, Black America would be better served by an organization that while independent of the major parties, could still weld influence. Let me provide a scenario.

A Black Political Movement is formed. We’ll call it the BPM. The BPM organizes wherever there are Black people. It grows to an organization that has a membership in the millions. A disciplined membership. Instead of being a part of either major party, candidates from each party would have to offer something substantial to gain the BPM’s support in an election. If the candidate doesn’t follow through on their promises the BPM simply withdraws support. Very simple concept. Indeed, under such a scenario candidates from third parties such as the Green or Libertarian Parties can state a case for BPM support. This scenario goes beyond national politics.

Ultimately the BPM can strongly influence local jurisdictions in terms who gets elected such as Mayors, councilmembers, Sheriffs, Judges, and the school board. The beauty of it is that a particular candidate doesn’t have to be Black. The key thing would be for any candidate to be beholden the BPM agenda.

In Black America we have to think in terms of real power. In this country the greatest power is economic which Black America is currently deficient. The next best thing is political power which can be effectively exercised by an independent political movement.

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