My question above was about how we are supposed to hone our message to the black community, and your response is issues that we currently support.

My point is that the issues and policies of the GOP are already beneficial to the black community, they just aren’t listening.

And I agree that this is elementary, which is why I am confused at how epically you failed.

This is the hard work of conservative congressman. It could be likened to game theory as the Prisoner to Pork’s dilemna

It’s in the isolated, self-interest of the congressman to “bring home the bacon” on other states’ dimes. But unfortunately, congressmen from other states are doing it to the isolated congressman. The net result, naturally, is that we end up purchasing a bunch of stuff that we wouldn’t if we had to pay for it ourselves in isolation. In Economics, it’s called a Pareto SubOptimal Condition

Only w/ strong principled determination can we conservatives band together to strive for the increased overall utility of smaller government. Clearly, that determination has been lacking recently. Hopefully, the 2008 election will purge the weak-kneed RINOs leaving a stronger conservative core of principled Republicans. But we’ve seen what happens when we stray.

“Justice system reform – there are disparities within the justice system along racial lines and with regard to sentencing that should be corrected. The GOP loves to run on law and order, so we don’t work to correct this stuff and lose a talking point, but its an issue in black communities around which there are legit beefs.”….super lame…I’ve never heard anything more….lame…quit breaking the law!

“Both of these issues are high impact on youth and fertile ground for political bridge building because they tap right into some of the most conservative sectors of the black community.”….you don’t know “Conservative”…no more bridge building

“And get it straight. It ain’t about the GOP doing for blacks. Its about whether or not the GOP cares to form a coalition for governance that includes blacks the way we include other groups.”…lol…..total bull…

You and yours need to stop blaming other people for your circumstance….self-reliance rules.

no cookie for you…

If you find the topic so uncomfortable, why don’t you move on to another site? Enter the debate or don’t, but please don’t complain that a debate is occurring, or that opposing views are being aired. Is this a forum for spirited discussion or is it not?

Education – my personal favorite and pet peeve. GOP office holders and the party itself should be making an all out effort to push forward education reform in concert with blacks. This is serious low hanging fruit because we have the killer app – charter schools. Right now, the only mayor in the country who can charter schools is Mayor Ballard of Indianapolis, a republican. Note that he inherited his charter school system which was deployed full blown by his predecessor, a democrat! If the GOP really wanted to make gains, they would run with this nationwide.

Justice system reform – there are disparities within the justice system along racial lines and with regard to sentencing that should be corrected. The GOP loves to run on law and order, so we don’t work to correct this stuff and lose a talking point, but its an issue in black communities around which there are legit beefs.

Both of these issues are high impact on youth and fertile ground for political bridge building because they tap right into some of the most conservative sectors of the black community.

And get it straight. It ain’t about the GOP doing for blacks. Its about whether or not the GOP cares to form a coalition for governance that includes blacks the way we include other groups.

I want to know exactly what it is the GOP is supposed to do for Blacks. Be specific.

What is the reaction? You’re calling us racists! Never said it. I’m sorry, but its just lazy thinking. Criticism of how the GOP conducts its political business in regard to blacks, just because its about blacks, does not make it an accusation of racism. Thats a conclusion, an assumption, that most in this thread have jumped to. I’ve explicitly made no such claim.

And whether or not I have a solution does not detract one bit from the validity of the point.

Solution wise, it ain’t rocket science. The GOP, IF in fact it does actually consider the black vote important to its aspirations for governance, should start BEHAVING like it considers that vote important. It should pay the same care and attention to the issues and concerns of blacks as it does to the voting blocs we KNOW the GOP cares about, like Jews, Catholics, Cuban Americans and other voting blocs the GOP takes care not to run around insulting and pissing off, and around which it builds policy approaches that address issues important to these constituencies.

Its not deep. The GOP just has to give a damn about the black vote like it does the other voting constituencies it cares about and walk it like they talk it.

I think you are more obsessed with race than anyone else in this thread.

Your comment suggests (whether you think I read you fairly is a different matter) that blacks, unlike other groups, have not moved up the socio-economic ladder on their own merits, but due to affirmative action and that even their presence in the military where they pony up to take the same bullet as any other color person in the service is proof of their dependence. Under the view you seem to suggest, military service on the part of a black person is not evidence of patriotism or love of country or service, its just an example of their dependence and unfitness for work absent some advantage conferred by affirmative action.

my wife and I have many a family member who has served this country, in wartime, including my father. I have ancestors who served in the Civil War. Thank you for essentially spitting on their honorable service.

Kyle8′s opinion about blacks and affirmative action and their merit in the workforce and elsewhere I would argue is a common attitude shared widely within the GOP. IMPLICIT in his comment is an underlying conclusion about blacks as a whole in the workforce that fairly smacks you in the face if you are being honest about it. I submit such underlying attitudes as exhibit A for the proposition that that the GOP does not consider black voters important to its aspirations for governance.

The GOP does not consider black voters to be important to its aspirations for governance. That is borne out by the way the party has consistently for years conducted its political business. Laying that fact on the table is not an accusation of racism, its merely an accurate observation about GOP BEHAVIOR.

A lot of this thread revolves around defending the GOP against a charge of racism. I don’t make such a charge and I’m not sure anybody else has, but people keep saying “we’re not racist”. Its a distraction from the real issue, whether or not the the GOP considers blacks important to its aspirations for governance in the same manner that it looks to other groups as I noted above.

If it does, then why is its messaging and handling of this voting community so inept, tone deaf and callous not only over a long period of time but also up and down every level of party apparatus and affiliate associations?

If it does not, then why not? And if not, we should cease and desist from any complaint about black votes going to a democratic party that behaves like it cares about blacks as voting constituency, which is separate and distinct from the question of whether or not democratic policy prescriptions actually work.

Marketing and the leftist takeover of the Internet is also his fault as well. That issue alone, damaged the GOP this fall and its long-term problems are yet to be fully realized.