Reuters/Ipsos Poll: Trump vs. Clinton [Clinton 41.8% Trump 37.5 Other 20.6%]

Selection for president, if the 2016 presidential election was between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

OK. I think what shocked Barone is that he expected Black voters (at least in the post-Civil Rights era) to vote more and more like upwardly mobile immigrants as they themselves moved up the socio-economic ladder. But that never happened.

Even in middle-class Black areas, they vote as radically and extremist far-left Democrat as if they’re still living in the slums. Examples of that are PG County in Maryland and (more shockingly) the ever-expanding Atlanta suburbs (DeKalb County and Clayton County).

The latter two places were White suburban Republican counties (which voted for Goldwater in ‘64, DeKalb for Nixon in ‘68 & Clayton for Wallace, both for Nixon in ‘72, Clayton for Reagan in ‘80, Reagan carrying both in ‘84, and Clayton for Bush, Sr. in ‘88), but have become so radicalized and leftist that Clayton is now THE most Democrat county in the entire state of Georgia (in 24 years going from 65% Republican to 85%(!) Democrat and just 14.7% went for Willard in 2012 - McCain got 16.6% in 2008).

Yes, and a pathology to their voting habits not easily remedied (or even being properly addressed). Sadly, where politics are concerned (and a rash of other issues), they are their own worst enemy, especially in the past half-century. The combo of putting all their eggs (votes) in one basket, and if you could call those eggs lobsters or crabs, when one tries to climb out of it, others will grab ahold and drag it back down.

Although saying that, I think there has been a serious problem with Republicans themselves (most especially with the Establishment) that will loudly exclaim they want Black votes (or elected officials), but will not do what is necessary to break off a chunk from the Democrats. I’ve seen examples of where a Black candidate will win a GOP primary in a potentially competitive race, the party will proudly “trumpet” that they’re racially diverse because of that nominee, and then proceed to give said candidate nothing in the way of money and resources in order to win, and in nearly every instance, said candidate loses.

There was an excellent, charismatic Black Conservative woman named Vikki Buckley, who decided to run in Colorado for Secretary of State. Now, that office had been held for many years by the GOP. When she ran in 1994, which was a banner GOP year, she was deserted by the party with aforementioned money and resources (she attested to this fact at a televised forum by C-Span later on) and barely won. The Dems had just reelected Roy Romer to his 3rd and final term (the GOP put up only a modest candidate against him, but likely devoted more resources to a loser race than they did to Buckley).

When she ran for reelection in 1998, it was a bit of a repeat, but she did hold on (and along with Bill Owens, the first Republican to win the Governorship that year since 1970, another Black GOP candidate won on the ticket with him, Joe Rogers, who was generally credited with having given the execrable Rep. Patsy Schroeder a close enough shave in ‘94 that she quit for reelection in ‘96). However, despite being a relatively young woman (early 50s?), the stress of having little to no help contributed to her poor health and she dropped dead in 1999, just barely into her 2nd term. Sadly, she almost all but forgotten now, but having seen her speak, she was the kind of person who could’ve ended up the first Black or first woman President (or both), but because she was a Republican, she was ignored by the media and given only lip service by the party.

To add insult to injury, the aforementioned Lt Gov. Joe Rogers was dumped from the ticket in 2002 by Gov. Owens, and shafted in the primary when he tried to run for the 7th district seat (which was won by Republican Bob Beauprez). Poor Rogers didn’t even make it to 50, dying 3 years ago. Yet another potentially talented figure forgotten. And these are just two examples. I’ve got others to cite, but you catch my drift.

Well, Blackwell was successful in most of his races. He came very close to winning the OH-1 race in 1990 (for which he would’ve joined Gary Franks of CT, who did win his race that year). When Dem State Treasurer Mary Ellen Withrow was made U.S. Treasurer by Clinton, the usually RINO Gov. Voinovich appointed him to the job, and he was able to win 3 elections in a row (for Treasurer and Sec of State). However, you’ll remember he eventually ran afoul of the RINO Establishment (they initially pressured him out of running for Governor in 1998 and yielding to RINO Bob Taft the “Turd”, who was a disaster. I wrote to him strongly urging him to run for Governor).

Of course, Taft and all the other scandals left the party badly tainted by 2006 (IIRC, Taft was THE most unpopular Governor in the country that year). Yet the party establishment anointed Jim Petro for Governor when Blackwell had more than earned the right to run unopposed in the primary, and with Blackwell getting it from the corrupt establishment, and having all the RINO scandals hung around his neck, and the unpopularity of Taft and Dubya nationally, it was no surprise what the end result was.

It’s a damn shame, too. Blackwell would’ve been a great Governor and Presidential contender had he been elected that year. Sadly, Ohio has been stuck with one execrable Governor after another for decades. Probably the last great Governor was Jim Rhodes (though during his first two terms in the ‘60s, as he was likely a bit past his prime for his last two, though clearly better than the assclowns Gilligan and Celeste).

I’ll note I supported Blackwell as a top choice for party chairman over Steele, whom I ranked as being close to incompetent (nevermind that he was Black), and later proven to be so during his short tenure, although so have most of the chairs in recent years.

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