Point blank. Period. There are no ifs, ands, or buts, about it. Our vote is no longer sought after, it has become EXPECTED. History has shown that 85-95% of the Black Community is going to vote Democratic. So why should politicians seriously court us? Why should campaigns have African-American outreach programs? The Democratic Politician’s formula for reaching out to the Black Community is pretty simple:
Show up to black Churches around election time. Meet with Black Church leaders. Make promises that they have no intention of keeping. Commiserate about the sad state of affairs of the Black Community. Make more promises that they have no intention of keeping. Talk about the crime, the unemployment, the poor state of education. Make more promises that will not be kept. Then leave. Only to return during the next election cycle and repeat the steps again.
I know this scenario takes place across the country in Black communities. Today, however, I’m going to focus on the state of Florida, where I live. We have elections coming up soon. A primary in August, and the General in November.
Democratic Party leaders are confident that they have our votes on lock. Republicans have all but given up on reaching out to the black Community because they, too, think the Democratic Party has our vote on lock. In fact, we have convinced ourselves that the Democratic Party has our vote on lock. This mentality has made our vote virtually worthless. We have no bargaining power. We have no remedy for all the broken promises that are thrown our way during election time.
Or do we?
Elections have become all about money. Very large sums of money are pumped into campaigns and parties constantly, but at the end of the day, dollars don’t vote. People do. At the end of the day, our vote is priceless, and we need to start making politicians realize that again.
I’m tired of the Democratic Party taking my vote for granted, and you should be too.
Currently, I am not happy with the Florida Democratic Party. They are selling us out to Charlie Crist. Crist has been pumping large sums of money into the Florida Democratic Party so that they will look the other way when it comes to the fact that he has been a “Pro-life, Pro-gun, Republican” all of his life. Those are Charlie Crist’s words, not mine.
In allowing Charlie Crist to buy this party, Democrats are behaving just like Republicans. We used to be the party that embraced discussion and differences. Not anymore.
Right now, it appears to be Charlie Crist’s way, or no way. Or so they think.
People are running around saying that we need to get Rick Scott out of office, and Charlie Crist is the best way to do it.
Needing to get Rick Scott out of office, I can agree with. Charlie Crist being the best way to do it, I can’t.
Recently Charlie Crist was asked what would change if he took office again. He said “very little”. If very little is going to change, why are we, as Democrats, looking to him as the savior?
For starters, Charlie Crist has no respect for the political process at all. He simply wants what he wants. He didn’t get it as a Republican, so he became an Independent. He didn’t get it as an Independent, so he became a Democrat. Instead of embracing the political process, he has completely bypassed what normally happens in a primary election:
Discussion and Debate.
Charlie Crist has decided that he will completely bypass any discussion or debate about the issues with the other candidate running for office, Nan Rich. The leaders of the Florida Democratic Party have looked the other way, because once again, Crist is pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into the party.
If you recall, in 2010, after losing the Republican Primary for US Senate, Crist, running as an Independent, got other Democrats, to include President Bill Clinton, to urge Kendrick Meek, a Black man, to get out of the race.
Why didn’t Charlie Crist get out of the race? Why didn’t the Democratic leaders tell Crist to get out of the race?
Well, because they knew there would be no repercussions or ramifications on trying to push the Black Man out.
What is the Black Community going to do? Vote Republican? Not a chance.
African Americans are not participating in the two party system. We have a single party, that takes us absolutely for granted with promises, promises and promises and slaps us in the face because they can, with no consequence.
Charlie Crist says he left the Republican party because it changed. While I think he left it because opportunities dried up, I don’t think leaving your party because it has problems is the answer.
I do, however, think the Florida Democratic Party needs a wake-up call.
In November they are going to get one.
You see, despite the millions of dollars being poured into this election for Governor, the one thing the money CAN’T do is make me vote for Charlie Crist.
For those who say not voting in November means a vote for Rick Scott, I say this:
Charlie Crist already said that “very little” would change once he was in office anyway, so what difference does it really make if it is Rick Scott or Charlie Crist in office?
If enough of us stick together in this, what it WILL do, however, is show the Democratic Party in Florida that not only can they no longer take our vote for granted, they have to actually DO something to EARN it!
I will be voting in the Primary in August. I will be voting in the General in November.
Depending on who is on the ballot for Governor, it may be left blank. I will not vote the lesser of two evils.
Evil is Evil.
Update: is this not an awful example of pandering? Charlie Crist hired Black actors dressed in tribal gear to pander to the Black Community! Not to mention a picture of him hugging a man in order to pander to the Gay community! Crist can hug all the men he wants, but don’t use that just to get votes!
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Leslie Wimes
Latest posts by Leslie Wimes (see all)
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