| Jan 5 @ 12:58 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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his profile says "a few extra pounds"
He also claims to be politically "middle of the road." Can't believe everything you read on the internet.
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| Jan 5 @ 1:04 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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hotdognchilli
Posts: 3,776
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| Jan 5 @ 1:09 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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SweetNapaGuy
Posts: 4,526
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And before anyone points it out, yes, I list myself as "middle of the road," as well. I'm a moderate with a strong anti-authoritarian streak. The current Republican leadership has a strong authoritarian agenda. Hence, my frequent opposition to Republican platforms.
In truth, I think the country runs best when the liberals (the true liberals...) and conservatives (the true conservatives...) share power. It's only when the extremists get unchecked power that things get scary.
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| Jan 5 @ 3:30 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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Paralegal_at_Law
Posts: 5,066
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I list myself as "middle of the road,"
Because my reply to this question is not germane to America having a Black President I am replying on the merits of this question on a newly created thread called Paralegal at Law's Domestic Agenda: Is it left wing, right wing, or centerist in its political orientation?
You decide.
[Edited on 1/5/2008 3:46 AM]
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| Jan 5 @ 9:46 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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alivenwell351
Posts: 1,496
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How many black Senators have there been since 1900?
Obama is the third!
There were 2 before 1900 - both from Mississippi of all places. There were 70 years in between.
Senator Brooke - MA
Senator Brown ILL
and
Obama ILL
That means all these years and all of the liberal States have failed to produce a Black Senator!
That remark is about as relevant as the price of tea in China.
Actually that remark about says it all as to why America is NOT yet about to elect a black president...and sadly, it's not even close....
What any Black (or female) candidate would have to do to win nationally would be to bring in a bunch of new voters who for whatever reason haven't voted before. Fact is that for the most part, those who are inclined to vote already do!! Obama is a very compelling candidate to those who believe in what he wants to do, and by winning a primary (don't read a whole lot into a caucus folks!!) has certainly broken new ground. But while Oprah can sure sell books, she can't buy enough new votes to make a difference. Whatever new voters Obama might bring to the table would be more than offset by voters who, for whatever reason, would not, under any circumstance, vote for a black candidate. And as sad as that might be, it's the way it is. And until what passes as racism today is attacked, redefined, and changed, I don't see black candidates consistently winning beyond the local/state level any time soon.....
[Edited on 1/5/2008 9:56 AM]
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| Jan 5 @ 10:33 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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Nightowl001
Posts: 4,087
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Fact is that for the most part, those who are inclined to vote already do!!
This is one of those subjects where I suspect it would be fun to inject skewed statistics. How many white males have been on the ballots? How many women? How many blacks? How many black females? I don't know the numbers, but I'm pretty sure I can safely say that more white males lose their bid for office than blacks or females.
The quoted statement above somehow implies we have had the opportunity to vote for a black and not done so. Here in Kansas, we have had more than 1 female governor (and in fact currently do). We have never had a black governor, but I don't think that one has ever made a serious run for the office. I personally don't recall a black ever being on the ballot here on election day for Senator of Representative at the national level. (I'm not saying it hasn't happened; I just don't recall it if it has). Simply because I have not been presented with a viable minority candidate on the ballot on election day to date doesn't mean that I (or a lot of other people) wouldn't vote for one. It hasn't happened in the past, but that doesn't mean it won't happen next year.
Personally, I do believe social evolution in this country has reached a point where a black President is a possibility.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:16 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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jamminjerry
Posts: 3,768
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of course semantics is important! do you mean black or negro? or islamist? or nappy headed? or simply anyone who isn't white? it does not matter until the person stops pulling the left or right lever!
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| Jan 5 @ 11:21 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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Wanna know why America's ready for a black president?
Cos my generation's voting now (and a lot more of us are planning on voting than you think will), and we just don't...I'm sorry...think about race the way a lot of you do.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:40 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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Loreli
Posts: 20,161
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i don't think about race at my age. I think it will be more state-related. Find out where th KKK is active, and they'll be working against him, no doubt.
I'm not cerain Obama can pull it off. But, if he does-many of us can be ready for it, if he is a GOOD president. Period.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:45 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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I'm not saying you do...it wasn't a personal attack on anyone. But there IS a generational gap. It's just a fact, many in the generation above me were raised by racist parents, including my parents...it was just the way things were.
My generation, for the most part, has been integrated with other cultures and colours and doesn't have the same hangups....I mean, we live in the most liberal area of the country and my parents still have a hard time hanging out with black people, as do a lot of their friends. However, most of the kids I know have no problem not only hanging out with people of different races, but dating outside their race. I have a feeling that would not be the norm (meaning it does happen, but it's not the NORM) among your generation, but it is among mine. That is all I was saying, and that is why I think Obama could do better than a lot of you are saying.
Please don't take it as a personal attack.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:48 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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Loreli
Posts: 20,161
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No sweetie-you're ok.
I know that younger people have gotten more accustomed to integrated friendships, classrooms, neighborhoods, etc. than some of us were. Heck, we only had one black family in elementary school. Wonderful people. Theyonly stayed through elementary school.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:50 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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Yeah, and when I talk to a lot of young liberal Democrats in all areas of the country, I hear a lot of support for Obama, much more so than for all the other Democratic candidates, maybe except for Gravel.
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| Jan 5 @ 11:51 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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alivenwell351
Posts: 1,496
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It's just a fact, many in the generation above me were raised by racist parents, including my parents...it was just the way things were.
True....
But many from my generation, myself included, were very active in fighting racism back when it really was only about color, and it really was unjustly holding people back based only on race. Many of us now look at how it is today, and wonder what the hell we ever got involved for in the first place...this is NOT what we had in mind!!
Generational simply means you see things based on what you've actually experienced...
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| Jan 5 @ 11:53 AM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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But don't you think the fact that a black man is very close to getting his party's nomination for this nation's highest office is a testament to what you've fought for?
I also think it's a testament to my generation...seriously, I'm inspired by all the people my age who have come out in support of a candidate whether it's Ron Paul *gag noise*, Mike Gravel, Barack Obama, or whoever else.
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| Jan 5 @ 12:00 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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alivenwell351
Posts: 1,496
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But don't you think the fact that a black man is very close to getting his party's nomination for this nation's highest office is a testament to what you've fought for?
Of course it is...it's huge...in and of itself...
But the title of the thread is Is America ready for a Black President ?....and I believe for a variety of complex reasons it's not even close yet....
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| Jan 5 @ 12:05 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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I don't know. As it stands, really no one wants to see Edwards elected (as far as I know), and one of the only viable candidates dropped out. So it's going to be a woman or a black if a Democrat is elected...which one are more ready for?
Chris Matthews said the other night, and you know I'll always quote him, "Black men were given the right to vote in 1870...of course, Jim Crow got in the way of that for awhile, but it was put on the books - 'African American males have the right to vote'. Women weren't given the vote until years later. Does this signify that we are more ready to hand over power to a black man than to a woman?"
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| Jan 5 @ 12:14 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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alivenwell351
Posts: 1,496
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So it's going to be a woman or a black if a Democrat is elected...which one are more ready for?
if a Democrat is elected........
And that's FAR from a given, despite what many would like to think...The RIGHT repub candidate...specifically McCain...will have NO trouble distancing himself from Bushie...A McCain/Huckabee ticket will look pretty good to many undecideds, given a choice between them or either Obama or Billary...
Getting the party's nomination is one thing...I believe winning the national election will prove to be quite another...
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| Jan 5 @ 12:17 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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I think there are many moderate Republicans who will reject Huckabee.
I hate to say this, but I think there's a legitimate fear among Americans now that a person with as much religious fervour as he will allow his faith to influence his decisions, and we've seen enough of that over the last 8 years, as I said to MusicMonster in another thread. I don't think that choosing Huckabee would be a good idea should McCain end up the nominee, though I agree that McCain is the most viable out of all the Republicans.
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| Jan 5 @ 12:26 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ?
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alivenwell351
Posts: 1,496
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I think there are many moderate Republicans who will reject Huckabee.
I thought that too..even up to a week ago...then I took a good look at him....he has quite a few ideas I REALLY agree with...specifically abolishing the IRS and instituting a national sales tax.....and he's good at saying what he thinks in a way that one can easily understand...
A religious fanatic still scares me...but I think he'd be a lot less religiously fundamentally scary as VP....and he locks in the evangelicals..and like em or not, they have some clout...and they contribute...and they vote...
And when it comes down to marking the ballot, even a moderate repub will have to have a damn good reason to jump ship and vote for Obama or Billary...
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| Jan 5 @ 12:29 PM |
Is America ready for a Black President ? |
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LipGlossQueen9
Posts: 10,079
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As I've said before, I think it's about time the American electorate gave up this idea that they have to vote for someone who believes in God just because they believe in God and instead vote for someone who can really get things done. If they did that, we wouldn't have to have this "values voter" bullshit. McCain and Biden are/were those guys...
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