2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Black Voters in NH Unconvinced by Sanders [View all]Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)I hope to get you to understand why many black voters are not with Bernie Sanders right now:
I am a political scientist by training, and would argue that we do have a responsibility as citizens to know these candidates and their record, what they stand for, and their policy platforms. Then, make a decision based on that. I would never suggest that people vote against their best interests or not vote at all. That would be irresponsible. But, I also accept that when people do make their decision, they do so in good faith; they have a right to vote for whomever they want and for whatever reason they want.
So, let me see if I can shed some light on this phenomenon of black voters supporting Clinton rather than Sanders...
In my conversations with black voters, they tell me that their heart tells them that Bernie Sanders may be the better candidate when it comes to character, record, and policy positions. However, they also want to vote strategically; that is, for the candidate who they feel can beat the Republicans.
So when Bernie supporters are seeing the direction black voters are going, why deride them? These voters are thinking strategically. They want the candidate who can WIN and not just with lofty ideas, regardless of how much they may agree with them.
They don't like Hillary Clinton much. That, to me, is clear. But they still seem to love Bill Clinton. When it comes to his record, no matter what I tell them--what about NAFTA, the Crime Bill, Glass-Stegall--it's not that they don't care; it's just that Bill Clinton was able to connect with them in a way that even Obama had problems with at the beginning.
That last point brings me to another point regarding Sanders:
If he could somehow connect more with black voters, apart from his record, and convince them that he can get what he's promising done, I think he has a chance.
But, as I stated earlier, black voters are STRATEGIC! This has always been true. Black voters have supported white candidates over black candidates since we could vote, so it's not about race and never has been. (Were that the case, say hello to presidents Jackson, Sharpton, Keyes, Cain...and Ben Carson who is beloved in the black community but will never command the black vote.) I'm giving this example because earlier you wrote of "identity politics" and that black voters are putting identity politics over their own best interests. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's the complete opposite, really, and history has shown this. More often than not, blacks have sided with the Democratic Party collectively over their own collective interests---just ask the CBC who went along with Bill Clinton's disastrous Crime Bill, NAFTA, welfare reform--all while remaining quiet on his Sistah Souljah moment.
When I assert that black voters are strategic, they want to be convinced that things will happen; that Republicans can be beaten. Obama had to prove himself even when faced with the fact that the vast majority of black voters were in Clinton's camp.
This has to be true also for Bernie Sanders. Like Obama, the ideals are there. The issues are there, for the most part. His record is near perfect. But can he win? And after he wins, can he get it done---all while confronted with ideological factions in his own party, not to mention the Republicans?
This is what Bernie Sanders' supporters are ignoring. Many are too busy ridiculing and deriding black people for their stance. Rather than listening and trying to understand--and then trying to connect to the Sanders team to encourage more inclusivity, I'm seeing the opposite. And that's the problem.
I'm going to be honest, here, too: Despite some disappointment with President Obama, black people still love and revere him! We understand what he has faced. We are frustrated that he couldn't get more done, but we don't blame him! Sanders is hurting with black voters because it sounds like he and his supporters don't like President Obama very much---or, at the very least, they blame Obama rather than the Republicans for the obstruction. It seems that Sanders and many (not all) of his supporters have a special disdain for the president, and that doesn't sit very well with black voters. I'm sorry, it just doesn't.
I was once a Bernie supporter. I loathe the Clintons. I now support neither candidate.
Convince me to go back to Bernie. And do it without insulting me or my people. Do it without derision or arrogance.
If you can't convince people without insulting them or their intelligence, then leave us alone for good.