By now everyone is aware that Herman Cain’s impressive run at the presidency is at an end. Saturday he announced that his campaign would be suspended indefinitely. He is bowing to pressure from family, which is understandable in light of Gloria Cain’s health concerns. Yet, by quitting the standard is set. Any black candidate for the presidency on the GOP ticket will be hounded by allegations until the pressure to drop out becomes too much.
We have so much work to do in outreach to the unwitting conservatives that reside begrudgingly on the left side of the political world. It should begin with a tough look at ourselves and how we treat others that on the surface the we appear to have nothing in common with. Additionally, there is a dire need of normalizing the black conservative. Simply put, it should never be applause worthy to hear that a black person is conservative. Like any other race, we should be on both sides of the political spectrum avidly arguing and supporting our beliefs whatever they may be.
This normalization will undoubtedly take time to foster and grow. But it is imperative that we attempt it with vigor, and when it appears that we have failed, we buck up and make another wholehearted attempt. Essentially outreach in the inner city is always trumpeted when there is talk of growing the party’s base. Yet I see another untapped market in the black middle and upper class, who have even more reasons to support conservative policies than anyone else. Namely because they are living conservatively. They have achieved success through hard work, dedication, perseverance and good choices.
This is a group that unwaveringly supports the Democrats, because that support is institutionalized. Many black philanthropic organizations support liberal policies while championing giving back. Members perform countless hours of community service and reward those with the most time put in. They work with the Democrats to champion policy that they hope will lessen inner city crime while increasing educational opportunities and job skills for black youth.
Black sororities and fraternities operate under the same goals. And their work is done with the mindset that by giving back they are creating opportunities for the younger generation. Interestingly the very policies that upper and middle class blacks support are the very ones that are doing the greatest harm.
via the Business Insider:
We compared the survey results to poverty levels. (We measured that by looking at the percentage of students who receive free- or reduced-price lunch—which the government offers to students from low-income families.)
While our analysis found a link between race and lack of access, poverty was the predominant factor in determining the proportion of students in a school or district who were enrolled in higher-level instruction.
The department plans to make public additional data in the coming months on graduation rates and test scores for these schools. When it does so, we will publish additional stories pinpointing the states in which equal access has achieved the desired results and where it has not.
From the data released so far, Florida stands out. Its results follow a decade-long initiative to broaden educational opportunity launched by then-governor Jeb Bush and his Education Commissioner, and now fellow former governor, Charlie Crist.
“The fact that some states have eliminated these disparities proves that if we make this a priority of policy it can be done,” said Pedro A. Noguera, an education professor at New York University.
Although Democrats abhor school choice, blacks on the whole have been consistent in their support of the Democrats. Ironically school choice disproportionately positively impacts impoverished black children by freeing them from failing schools. This is an issue where the Democrats have failed miserably for over 40 years in every city in America, while states that have implemented vouchers, tax credit programs and charter schools have moved children into educational opportunity. School choice is almost exclusively championed by Republicans and conservatives.
GOP outreach must target the poor, middle class and upper class. It must be strategic, well thought out and consistently implemented. School choice is the one area that affects a majority of blacks while implementing the aims of the party platform. Education is already a top priority for parents and tapping into that is a win for both policy and the people affected by it.
There will be a day in America when a black man running for president on the GOP ticket will not be cause for the type of unvarnished shock and vicious attacks that we saw over the past few months. But that day will not come without a much more detailed plan of action from conservatives and the GOP. The time to begin is now, Cain’s demise proves that we can no longer afford to wait.
Stacy
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