Gwen and I first met back in 1988 when she did doors around here for the WI State House of Reps - a few years later I gave her State Senate campaign $100 (she was among the few African-Americans around here, another being Vel Phillips, to break the old Urban Legend about Blacks not being able to win political races unless the district was overwhelmingly Black -- gave this latest campaign $200 after I came into some money (forfeited earnest money) after I coulnd't respond to her request a couple months earlier. Her campaign ignored race as an issue, as has the ones before this, and concentrated on her history as a former Welfare Mother who knows what the problems people are facing are and are about.
She and I disagree on School Choice, she having to lean against vouchers and everything associated with limiting the public school monopoly in order to get money from the teacher's unions for local political races, but I'm sure she's going to represent us well in Washington as our very first non-White politician on the national level.
It goes without saying that I'm very proud to know her.
Posts: 97 | From: Milwaukee | Registered: Apr 2004
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Blacks like other candidates win when they have a platform people feel is worth endorsing. Usually Blacks and others all want the same things. Many Black politicians play so much on race that it blurs the rest of their platform. That is why SOME of them can't win outside of a majority Black voting area.
Posts: 1673 | From: Suwanee, GA, USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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Sort of like some people playing with a deck that only has race cards, eh. Their only salvation is the tendency to re-elect the incumbant, but that may be changing here in Milwaukee (and probably elsewhere) with a lot of "take no (mess)" youngsters beginning to vote, becoming politically active and demanding that their elected representatives actually accomplish something worthy of their respect.
The senior (16 years) Black Alderwoman and a 'supposedly' well respected long term (12 years) Black Alderman were defeated by very young 'upstarts' in our city elections this past April - so far, the upstarts have been making names for themselves actually trying to solve problems rather than find more excuses about why they exist and all that usual falderal.
Posts: 97 | From: Milwaukee | Registered: Apr 2004
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I totally agree with that. I see far too many politicians that are resting on their great accomplishments from yesteryear. And many feel like voters "owe" them their vote for a lifetime.
When a Black ran against another here in GA she was treated like the worst thing since the creation of the Klan. The new challenger won, but is still hated by some. Not because she voted party line Democrat while beine called a "closet Republican". Not because she brought money to the district that it needed. But she was hated and still is by some simply because she ran against a Black that did some things "once upon a time".
Some dislike the new upstarts not having such a strong link to times past. But I appreciate their new vision.
For political old timers that stay in power and are not challenged, personally I wish they would stop being a "Democrat" or "Republican" all their life and go Independent. Many of them will win regardless because they are so well known. But candidates like voters feel they "owe" something even when the ones they feel they "owe" have plans they don't agree with. Maybe if they went Independent they could better represent the people that voted for them instead of a "party".
Posts: 1673 | From: Suwanee, GA, USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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When more Blacks get into various State Legislatures in significant numbers, the ability of African-Americans to form a real third party to offset the Democrats and Republicans will become a valid threat to them - there are a lot of us White folks supporting that proposition -- some of us even know that the Black community is as diverse and rife with ideological pockets as any other ethnic (or other) group in America.
We in Wisconsin may lead the way in the very near future. I am losing some of my jadedness (preparatory to getting excited over anything ever again) when tracking the actions of some of the young, new Black politicians in Milwaukee. We are also in the process of forming a 15 member advisory council comprised entirely of teenagers (one from each Aldermanic district) to advise local leaders on the concerns of youth - if anything really comes of all that, I could even become excited, again.
Posts: 97 | From: Milwaukee | Registered: Apr 2004
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Ben, when I say go Independent, I mean just that. I don't mean go Independent in order to form some other party at a later date. Political Parties are about their own preservation more than you or anyone else's concerns.
I don't want a "Black Party". No more than I want the parties we already have. The whole concept is counter to one man one vote and puts power in groups that only care about keeping their name on the political map.
I am for more open ballot access and against the concept of anyone feeling they need to be part of any party.
There is only 1 Party that I am a lifetime member of. It is my Family Party I vote in the interest of myself and my family. We have a convention every polical season . Where me and family members chat about who we plan to endorse. The great thing about the Family Party is that we don't have to agree and there is no expectation that anyone agree with anyone else. We simply do what we feel is best and all love each other just the same .
That's the only party I want anyone to be a part of. Their own Family Party .
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Too bad that's not how the real (political) world works - lip service being given to 'family' and all but power resides with those in the majority party -- except in the current Senate where power is shared due to the 50-50 split --- this upcoming election is more about getting control of the Senate and, hopefully, the Presidency for Democrats with the Republicans becoming more confident they'll retain the Presidency but really wanting a larger vote margin in the Senate.
Posts: 97 | From: Milwaukee | Registered: Apr 2004
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Ben, parties have power because you choose to empower them. So long as you want to see the parties as the power that will be your reality.
As far as who will win or lose, the Democrats put up a pretty lame candidate. He will lose.
Posts: 1673 | From: Suwanee, GA, USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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I prefer to refer to him as The Statue and the current incumbant The Shrub - it's the traditonal 'union controlled' democratic machine (maybe with some behind the scenes help from Republicans) that got The Statue to the forefront of the primary race and thence to the nomination -- just like they did with Humphrey, McGovern, Mondale and Gore --- indicating they don't really want change or to shake things up but to reward those who've been around for a long, long time, just as with union rules rewarding seniority over competence or merit. It makes me sick but there's not much one individual can do about it.
I have supported some independent candidates but most of them are so loopy and out in the Twilight Zone that they deserve the ignominy awarded them by the political process (or lack of votes).
Posts: 97 | From: Milwaukee | Registered: Apr 2004
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. Where me and family members chat about who we plan to endorse. The great thing about the Family Party is that we don't have to agree and there is no expectation that anyone agree with anyone else. We simply do what we feel is best and all love each other just the same ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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