[lbo-talk] black primary turnout

[John Thornton]

Charles Brown wrote:
> shag 
>
>
>
>
> 1. Black people support O because he's black.
>
> CB: Politically Black. Black people are the progressive wing of the US
> mass polity.
>
> 2. Black people do not care whether Obama is for black issues per se.
> They
> are "energized" because he's black and representing.
>
> ^^^^
> CB: I don't agree with this one. Most Black people would not support
> him if he was a Black racist like Clarence Thomas. When somebody Black
> ran as a Black Republican for Governor in Michigan in the early
> Reaganite years, he didn't get much Detroit support at all.
>
> O is for socalled Black issues, like money for the cities, urban
> policy.  He can be trusted to give any individual Black person or group
> of Black people a fair decision to the extent he would have to make them
> were he Pres.
>
> ^^^
>
> 3. We should care, not that blacks are voting for Obama. Blacks always
> vote for democrats in large numbers and, of course, blacks are
> naturally ( tee hee or socially constructedly -CB)
> going to vote for blacks because they are one of their own.
>
> ^^^^
> CB:  And to make up for 300 years of not getting a fair shake, more
> than he's "one of their own".  Like " it's about time."
>
> You should care that Black people are voting for him in large
> majorities, because that certifies that he is not a right-wing Black
> guy.
>   

Are you serious?
Certifies him as not right-wing.
Colin Powell had a great deal of support among Blacks but he was to the 
right of most Dems.
Support by any segment of the population doesn't certify anyone as anything.
He is defined by the policies he supports which means he's no 
right-winger but he's no progressive either.


> ^^^^^
>
> 4. Rather, we should care because whites are voting for a black man.
>
> ^^^
> CB:  See it as a historic anti-racist act by millions of White people. 
>  Care ?  Be proud of them. Like "Way to go Blanche People ! ". Maybe
> more like be glad like being glad that so many White people were
> courageous and sacrificed in the Civil War that ended slavery.  Be proud
> of them.
>
> 5. Whites voting for a black man is a sign of that they've been
> "energized".
>
> ^^^
> CB: Not the word I'd use. More like radicalized. Pulling up America's
> problems at the root. It is likely to lead to a lot of other progressive
> steps, if it happens. ( O hasn't won yet)
>   

Voting for a centrist Dem is "pulling up America's problems at the root."?
This is an example of Obamamania.
Voting for a centrist Dem is most definitely not equal to "pulling up 
America's problems at the root."
If the roots were that easily pulled millions of people wouldn't have 
struggled and made the sacrifices they did to get the changes we have 
today when compared to social conditions 50 years ago.


> ^^^
>
> 6. Obama is taking care not to appear too progressive, but that's just
> because he's a savvy politician, biding his time.
>
> ^^^^^
> CB: He probably can't win running as a progressive, given the American
> electorate has been doing 25 years of Reaganism. It seems unlikely
> they'd _change_ that suddenly.
>
> That 's why it's important that he emphasizes "Change comes not from
> the top down. It comes from the bottom up." He'll be as progressive as
> the People make him be. If millions are lobbying for universal health
> care, he'll have no choice but to give it to them.

You believe he's unique in this?
That's he is somehow more influenced by 'the people" than Clinton would 
be or past presidents were.
What is the reason for this belief.
Because 'the people" generally oppose Nafta while Obama no longer does 
and 'the people' support taxpayer financed campaign while Obama also no 
longer does.
If he's following the will of 'the people' he's doing a very poor job of it.

John Thornton