. . . Kerry and the Democrats have indeed failed to make a strong effort to register black voters, said Ron Walters, a black political activist and University of Maryland political scientist.
"Nader is absolutely right about this," Walters said. "It's one of those subterranean stories nobody wants to talk about because Kerry could lose."
While Democrats have raised enormous amounts of money in this campaign, Walters said, money is only "trickling in" to traditional black voter-registration groups.
The independent political organizations known as 527s raised $150 million, he said, "but they have not used it very effectively -- they have tried to substitute people with Palm Pilots and Blackberries for the success we had over the years."
Walters said the problem was a hot topic of behind-the-scenes discussion Thursday at a Congressional Black Caucus Town Hall Meeting, part of a three-day legislative conference that he said drew 35,000 attendees. (Miles Benson, "Nader Says Kerry 'Blew It,' Ensuring Bush Will Win Race," <em>The Times-Picayune</em>, <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0910-04.htm">September 10, 2004)</blockquote>
<blockquote>A new strategy to expand the black vote -- primarily in swing states -- has triggered infighting among black and white Democratic activists over money, turf and political priorities.
The plan, launched by "527" groups led by powerful white Democrats, angers Jesse Jackson and other black leaders, who say they have been bypassed and denied funds.
"Of black organizations that have been traditionally responsible for increasing voter registration and turnout, none have been empowered to determine priorities for the resources," Jackson said in an interview. "We know what to do and how to do it -- we've done it before. It's insulting that none of us who have been responsible for most registration and turnout are at the table determining priorities."
Ron Walters, a longtime black political activist and University of Maryland political scientist, said funds are only "trickling in" to traditional groups like Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
Walters said white Democratic leaders "have tried to substitute people with Palm Pilots and Blackberries for the success we have had over the years" in voter efforts.
The 527 groups are named for the provision in the Internal Revenue Service code that allows them to raise millions of dollars to help elect both Democrats and Republicans. Under law, they may not coordinate their activities with the candidates.
Kirk Clay, deputy director of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, which includes Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH, said that in a typical election their groups would receive $8 million for registration efforts. While he said he could not specify this year's amount, he added, "we're not anywhere near that." The groups relied in past years on contributions from individuals and other sources; they believe those funds are now being diverted to the 527s.
Jackson said white leaders of the 527 groups are making decisions about black vote mobilization based "on their own views and values, and they have a tendency to write off too much of the South."
He specifically blames influential Democrats such as Harold Ickes, head of the Media Fund; Steve Rosenthal, the former AFL-CIO political director, who runs America Coming Together (ACT); and John Podesta, former White House chief of staff to Democratic President Bill Clinton, who directs the Center for American Progress.
For example, Jackson said, Democrats are blowing opportunities to win back control of the Senate by failing to spend funds to target 600,000 unregistered black potential voters in Georgia, where a black House member, Denise Majette, is running against Republican Rep. Johnny Isakson for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, who backs President Bush against Sen. John Kerry. (Miles Benson/Newhouse News Service, "Black Activists Decry Shutout in Voter Registration Efforts," <a href="http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/benson092304.html">September 23, 2004</a>)</blockquote>
Cf. Mike Davis, "The Political Sidelining of Blacks," <a href="http://progressivetrail.org/articles/040924Davis.shtml">September 23, 2004</a>. -- Yoshie
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