Posted on 09/09/2006 1:01:53 PM PDT by hipaatwo
Committeewoman Norma Leggette (4th Ward) isn't sure what the Democratic Party
stands for anymore. She wonders how she's supposed to excite constituents in
her ward about November's elections.
Leggette said there are two Democratic parties in St. Louis - one that benefits
whites and another that ignores blacks. "At one time, Democrats were a solution
for us. I don't know when that changed or why that changed, but it
has," Leggette told me.
Her comments underscore a familiar complaint from blacks who claim the
Democratic Party takes them for granted.
Leggette voiced her concerns Tuesday during a rah-rah session with several
local elected Democrats, hosted by U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill.
After reading the exchange posted on a local Weblog, Pub Def Weekly, I called
Leggette to confirm her comments.
The quotes were correct, the 40-year veteran of local politics told me. She has
no intention of voting for McCaskill's Republican rival, U.S. Sen. Jim Talent,
but, like me, she's grown bored with the dog and pony show put on when major
elections roll around. Democrats show up, throw out the "evil Republican"
mantra, ask for black votes, then disappear without ever addressing our
socioeconomic concerns or needs.
Democrats raise millions for major campaigns that rarely trickle down to
neighborhood committees, like Leggette's, charged with getting blacks to the
polls, she said. It's a "frustrating" experience, complicated by "clueless"
leadership and blacks seeking personal gain.
"My community has been affected by benign neglect. Black political leaders only
interested in lining their pockets with crumbs ought to get the hell out of the
way," Leggette said.
During the meeting Tuesday, Leggette said McCaskill dissed Talent's friendship
with President George W. Bush and criticized the president for letting poor and
black people die in New Orleans. That didn't cut it for Leggette.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
You know, you wouldn't know that by looking at his campaign commercials. All about his support for big government programs like the Prescription Drug Plan and how well he works with the Democrats across the aisle. No support for conservative values like smaller government or secure borders. No mention of President Bush. It's almost like he's running away from his conservative roots.
He won't.....he has to win...Missouri is a purple state.
National Black Republican Association
http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.aboutnbra&x=819384
There is a dream I have mixed in with a prayer. That Black Americans will flock into the Republican Party and infuse it with new energy, vision, purpose and thrive within the foundations of conservatism in the pursuit of truth and freedoms. The Judao-Christian principles that made this country great are under assault and we need to band together and unite to preserve the freedoms within it's framework. Otherwise we will be ruled over by godless miserable tyrants. Black Americans who discover their powerful conservative roots will have tremendous favor and opportunities in the Republican Party and a truly free America.
A drip, a trickle, a stream.
When these Americans put more faith in themselves then pandering racist liberals, it will become a flood.
It doesn't matter what the Dims do or say; they can even keep sending back to the Senate a senile old Klansman who dropped the n-word multiple times on national TV. And still, 90+ percent of the blacks in WV will pull the lever for the Klansman, because of that letter "D". And then they wonder why the Dims take them for granted.
I don't mean this to be a put down, but I have asked myself how Blacks could possibly back Democrats after all this time. What yanked my chain the most regarding this, was that it seemed to confirm the worst stereotypes regarding Blacks and their ability to reason. I know better, but it just drove me to distraction to see them continue backing folks who couldn't find more convincing ways to prove, they were only using them for political advantage.
Jessie Jackson? Come on folks, wake up and smell the abuse. Conservatives actually care about your future. Come on over. You're welcome here.
As much as I agree, there seems to be a lot of that going around these days on both sides of the isle.
I'm afraid it's getting to where independent people don't much like voting for the GOP either.
One party offers instant socialism, the other takes a slower approach.
Bottom line for Ms. Leggette: The Rats need to give us more money.
Bottom line for Senator Talent's black supporters (I mean, the ones quoted here): Talent has helped get money for us, or our causes.
No news here, folks. Maybe there is somewhere else, but this story is just the same old same old.
I wonder if the blacks who support Talent and are quoted in the story are really putting faith in themselves. Looks to me like they're after government handouts (even if they themselves are self-supporting).
The Rats, over time, will always beat us in this game.
Yes. And if Republicans want black support that's sincere, not selfishly motivated, they should speak to them as to all Americans -- about their principles.
That said, let me back off a little bit and say that some of the blacks who are willing to be publicly identified with the GOP may support us for sincere reasons, but want to look crassly selfish in order to minimize the heat they get from their "community."
Unfortunately, far too many of us don't notice anything until they see that the showers don't have any drains.
Mark
Uh, lemmesee......after about 40 years on Uncle Sam's Plantation I think they're waaaay overdue on seeing the light.:( I guess that's better than never seeing it.
You're really not kidding here. I was doing some work at a temp employment agency (fixing their computers) the day after the 2004 election, and this one woman (she was Black) was crying, literally crying, that Bush was going to reinstate slavery. Since the pubbies had the Presidency, house, and senate, she just knew that she was going to become a slave. I tried to tell her that's not going to happen, but she stated, "YES IT WILL! My husband told me that it was only the democratic party that kept us from being slaves!"
The sad thing is that she doesn't realize that she IS a slave: To the dems, and their destructive policies.
Mark
Unfortunately, history shows us that the surest way to get votes is to promise a bunch of people that you're going to give them money taken from a few, other people.
Mark
I hope this woman is employed, or temporarily employed, someplace where it's basically impossible for her to do any damage. What an awful story!
She actually worked at the temp agency, one of the office clerks. I didn't press our conversation, as she was still crying, and it's not a good idea to argue with a client. But I really did have to bite my tongue.
Mark
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