GOP leaders seek involvement of blacks

The Washington Times ^ | January 14, 2003 | Ralph Z. Hallow

[AM2000]

many blacks "share conservative political values" but continue to support the RATS

I think Republicans need to ask themselves, what exactly does it mean to "share conservative political values"?

Does it mean supporting lower taxes and a strong defense?

Does it mean supporting limits on legal immigration?

Does it mean supporting the war on drugs or does it mean legalizing marijuana?

It can mean so many things... and some things are important to some than they are to others. For example, let's take immigration. I may believe in the importance of lower taxes, I may be pro-life and what-not but if the GOP ties all that with a strident anti-immigrant program (remember California, not too long ago?), then it will lose my vote. I am not an immigrant, but my parents are, and any party that comes to power using anti-immigration rhetoric won't have my support.

That was just an example. My point is this - that no matter what black conservatives feel on the tax issue and abortion issue, if they feel disrespected and/or looked down upon by rank and file Republicans, if they feel like the GOP is making a scapegoat out of black people on the issue of, say, crime (just an example), they will lose the black vote. Issues are nice, but you gotta show a man some respect if you want his vote.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

...Issues are nice, but you gotta show a man some respect if you want his vote.

Good post AM. I agree that it's more important to show voters what a given politician is FOR and not just AGAINST. It seems to me that on a variety of issues the RATS cannot articulate actual legislative policy they are for - including racial issues.

Think about it. Blacks have supported the RATS by over 90% for years. Can you name 5 definitive pieces of SIGNED LEGISLATION championed by the RATS aimed at improving the black community (let alone showing "a man a little respect)?

My view is that showing a man a little respect is mouse-nuts compared to TAKING ACTION and not just pandering to a voting block.

Finally, speaking of respect I almost forgot the props to Aretha Franklin...

[Dave S]

Merely commenting on the tone and tenor of the statement.

Sounds like you're trying to avoid answering the question?

[txhurl]

Frist should have had a list of goodies to buy votes with.

Nope. The Republican Party needs blacks that can't be bought off.

That's what we're all about.

The 'path of lea$t resistance' is what the Ds are about.

[Grand Old Partisan]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Michael Zak
Grand_Old_Partisan@hotmail.com


Republicans honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his Birthday

Washington, DC – January 15, 2003 – In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., the Conference for a Republican Majority, Black Republican Women International, Republican Youth majority, and other Republican organizations met at the National Press Club to commemorate Dr. King’s legacy and explore ways the Republican Party can contribute toward full implementation of his dream of freedom for all Americans.

The master of ceremonies was William Coleman, former Secretary of Transportation and President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Mr. Coleman called upon Republicans to remember their party’s commitment to civil rights, pointing out that most civil rights laws throughout our nation’s history were Republican initiatives. Among the honored guests was Senator Lincoln Chafee, who expressed great pride in having been named in honor of the Great Emancipator.

The keynote speaker was Michael Zak, author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, the acclaimed history of the GOP from the Republican point of view (see www.republicanbasics.com). In highlighting Martin Luther King’s career, Mr. Zak recounted Republican achievements, such as:

· the Republican Party was founded as a civil rights movement, in opposition to the Democrats’ pro-slavery policies

· the 13th Amendment freeing the slaves, the14th Amendment extending the Bill of Rights to the states, and the 15th Amendment extending voting rights to blacks had been enacted by the Republican Party against fierce Democrat opposition

· the judge who had ruled in favor of Rosa Parks and then championed Dr. King at Selma, Alabama and elsewhere was a Republican and had been Eisenhower’s state campaign manager

· Republicans supported the 1957 Civil Rights Act, the 1960 Civil Rights Act, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the 1965 Voting Rights Act much more than did the Democrats

###