February 16, 2003
DOOMSDAY SCENARIO:
New alliance: GOP, black Democrats?: Potential coalition could bring radical change to politics in S.C. (JENNIFER TALHELM, Feb. 16, 2003, Charlotte Observer)Legislative black caucus members say newly elected Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and others in the GOP have proven in recent years to be more open to black legislators than white Democrats."(GOP control) will not impact my legislative agenda, and in some ways, it may help it," said Sen. Darrell Jackson, a Richland County Democrat.
Among the issues they hope to find common ground on are health care for the poor, tapping lottery profits to help poor schools, a crackdown on predatory lending and efforts to decrease domestic violence.
In the first week of the legislative session, Jackson and Sen. Glenn McConnell, a Republican from Charleston, co-sponsored a bill to fund historically black colleges with lottery proceeds.
If the two sides build a coalition, it would mean a radical change in politics in South Carolina, where whites identify heavily with the Republican Party and blacks almost always vote Democratic. [...]
"I think you are seeing the potential for a sea change in how politics in South Carolina works right now," said Rep. Joe Neal, D-Richland, former black caucus chairman. "I think we're waiting to see in the African American community just what this is. He (Sanford) still has not shown us the details of what he is going to do. But the signals have been strong. He continues to be open to input from all segments of the legislature."
South Carolina is an overwhelmingly Republican state anyway, but if the GOP can craft a blueprint for co-operating with blacks and duplicate it elsewhere it would be catastrophic for the Democrats. Blacks don't even need to leave the Democratic Party in order drastically alter American politics; it would suffice that they not turn out in force to vote against Republicans. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 16, 2003 3:35 PM
Realignment is an oft (mis)used term, but certainly any significant splintering of the monolithic black vote would cause one. You would think the Dems might be worried enough about the prospect actually to stop freezing blacks out of most leadership posts (or newly open Senate races). But it's fine with me if they want to be the Stupid Party for a change.
Posted by: Kevin Whited at February 16, 2003 3:51 PMPerhaps I am confused but since Blacks vote democratic in national elections I find it difficult to believe they will embrace the principles of the Republican party on a local level unless it is in a state where the republican party exists in name only, such as Maine or Rhode Island. Republicans would be better advised to seek votes from groups more likely to share the same values.
Posted by: Thomas J. Jackson at February 16, 2003 7:31 PMMr. Jackson:
But the point is you don't even need black votes, just to dull their passion about voting anti-Republican. George W. Bush made extraordinary efforts to reach out to blacks, but still got the smallest % of the black vote ever. Get him to 20% or reduce black turnout and the Democrats can't win a national election.
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I don't think this statement is correct. It has often been observed that the frustrating part about the African American vote was that in polls they support GOP positions (lower taxes, school vouchers, privatize Social Security, less favorable to abortion,etc) but then vote 90% Dem anyway. The GOP needs to point this out and get rid of the notion that they are the KKK (which the Dems help with) to increase their percentage of the African-American vote.