Why the GOP Can't Win With Minorities (Excellent Column)

WSJ ^ | 3/16/09 | Shelby Steele

[RangerM]

Today conservatism is stigmatized in our culture as an antiminority political philosophy. In certain quarters, conservatism is simply racism by another name. And minorities who openly identify themselves as conservatives are still novelties, fish out of water.

Yet there is now the feeling that without an appeal to minorities, conservatism is at risk of marginalization. The recent election revealed a Republican Party -- largely white, male and Southern -- seemingly on its way to becoming a "regional" party. Still, an appeal targeted just at minorities -- reeking as it surely would of identity politics -- is anathema to most conservatives. Can't it be assumed, they would argue, that support of classic principles -- individual freedom and equality under the law -- constitutes support of minorities? And, given the fact that blacks and Hispanics often poll more conservatively than whites on most social issues, shouldn't there be an easy simpatico between these minorities and political conservatism?

{more at link}

[RangerM]

I thought this an excellent column worth reading.

[Heartland Mom]

We can win with minorities if we become more techno savvy. We have to have ads that tie us to MLK and the fight for civil rights. We have to have minority success stories enlightening the masses that Republicans encourage self-worth and look to the individual. We have to bring up the fact that the War on Poverty did nothing other than bring disadvantages classes down. They are much worse off now than then. In short, we must be willing to speak the truth and get the word out.

[jveritas]

Every election the Republicans won was without winning the minorities vote. In fact they won these elections despite the vast majority of the minorities voting against them.

[RangerM]

Overcoming emotion with logic can be a challenge. Logic doesn’t demagogue the way emotion can.

We have our work cut out for us.

[Paladin2]

Why the GOP can't win with conservatives:

Extended period of pure Pandering that can't be overcome without several election cycles of appropriate behavior on the national level.

[jveritas]

In what parallel universe do you live? Most minorities vote for only one reason: Welfare and more welfare.

[cripplecreek]

I’m with you. Aggressively speak the truth.

[Mad Dawgg]

"We can win with minorities if we become more techno savvy."

The Premise is flawed from the getgo.

You don't pander to minorities, you win by advancing an idea.

And idea like: Tired of paying more and more taxes for bigger and bigger government? If elected we promise to lower taxes and CUT THE BUDGET (actually cut it. if the budget is 1 Trillion for 2010 then the budget for 2011 will be less than that!)

Then when you get elected ACTUALLY DO WHAT YOUR PROMISED!

[familyop]

"And, given the fact that blacks and Hispanics often poll more conservatively than whites on most social issues, shouldn't there be an easy simpatico between these minorities and political conservatism?"

That's right. Now get some testosterone and a few braincells. ...Million Mom March, NEA, VAWA, divorcing/cohabiting mothers, welfare, romanticism,...wake up.

[TSgt]

In what parallel universe do you live? Most minorities vote for only one reason: Welfare and more welfare.

You forgot to mention and the color of one's skin...

[padre35]

That isn’t the case jveritas, Republicans used to receive the majority of the Black Vote until Nixon’s Southern Strategy.

GWB got 45% of the Hispanic Vote in 04 as well.

But there is little chance minorities would peel away from Obama for a candidate like McCain, if there was ever an “old white guy” McCain was it.

School vouchers, opportunity, and being pro small business and pointing out that Abortion amounts to genocide in minority communities is the path to making Conservatism at least on par with Liberalism.

And the best part is, those issues do not require the abandonment of solid Principles.

[wolfcreek]

Repubs are bigoted racist so any minorities who are Repubs are Uncle Toms.

Wolfcreek Out!

[LibLieSlayer]

We win over hyphenated-AMERICANS by educating them on the true History of this nation and breaking the slave mentality that the dims have beaten into their heads for 60 years. You cannot win over someone that wants it all for doing nothing and is told how “special” they are because of their melanin content. They must be educated and taught that opportunity exists in this country like it does in no other place in the world... or did until 52.6% of droolers voted to destroy this Nation and adapt to Castro's vision and philosophy.

LLS

[TomGuy]

Most minorities vote for only one reason: Welfare and more welfare.

Dems typically support minorities and their welfare.

Pubbies typically support corporations and corporate welfare.

Those $billions in recent bail-outs have not been going to those on welfare.

[RangerM]

Ironic don’t you think that when Republicans do it, it’s “corporate welfare”, but when dems do it, it’s “for the workers”?

[pnut22]

And that, my friend, is the truth.

[American_Centurion]

No matter how much we try to APPEAL to minorities, until we decide to give away piles, shovels, and truckloads of freebies (read Other Peoples Money, OPM) we will never win over any significant number of minorities to aid us with a “win”.

Identity politics has far less to do with culture or skin color, it has everything to do with wealth transfer. The less (insert minority) has to do to get the freebie, the more of them that will vote for you. We would have to abandon fewer of our principles to sway unions our way, which is STILL impossible.

Give up on trying to sway “minorities” in any significant numbers.

[nathanbedford]

I have enormous respect for Shelby Steele ever since I read his insightful piece which explained much about the election of Obama which was otherwise inexplicable to a white male middle-class conservative. He also appeared on C-SPAN and delivered a talk in which he outlined the reasons for Obama's appeal. Reading this piece today, one comes away even more impressed when one considers his personal odyssey in arriving at conservatism.

Shelby Steele identified the psychology which led to Obama's election. Essentially, Obama personified expiation for centuries of slavery and segregation. He struck an implicit deal with white America. He would not rub white America's nose in its original sin of slavery and segregation and white America would accept the proffered expiation simply by voting for him. The deal carried through the election because Obama persisted in being what conservatives complain of: an empty suit. So long as Obama kept his part of the deal and did nothing flamboyant (think of Reverend Al Sharpton), white America kept its part of the deal and Obama was elected. White America's part of the deal was the reciprocal of Obama's forbearance from behaving "black" by acting the empty suit. White America would never suggest that the emperor had no clothes and, of course, would vote its myopia.

Shelby Steele, I believe, brilliantly captured the psychology of the election. Now he tells us the psychology of black America. Like the election, the mindset of black America today is not a matter of the intellect but of the emotion. To unlock the hold the of the Democrat party on the African American race, Republicans must find an emotional key.

[Joe Boucher]

When Jeb Bush was re-elected Governor of Florida some news jerk asked what he planned to do specifically for blacks.
He said, “not much”.
And he didn’t either. NOr did he pander to any other group.
He worked for the folks of Florida and gave no group special status.

[Servant of the Cross]

Maybe it's not EITHER/OR but BOTH/AND.

Who wouldn't want Shelby Steele, Thomas Sowell, Star Parker, etc. as a conservative spokesperson. Or ...........

Ken Blackwell