Please Stop Helping
This commentary is directed especially to African American and Hispanic American citizens in anticipation of the upcoming election. First, let me say that I do realize that I am in no position to speak FOR Hispanic Americans nor African Americans (not being in either category myself), and that that is not my purpose here. As a concerned citizen, however, and (I hope) reasonably perceptive commentator, I can, with some justification, speak about the conditions and challenges facing our country that effect African Americans and Hispanic Americans today. I can also take a critical look at the the government policies and programs that have brought our country to where it is today.
Now, it’s often taken for granted (with a touch of condescension, I might add) that American Blacks and Hispanics will vote, in huge majority, for democrats. Whether that remains the case or not remains to be seen. But the more fundamental question is, why on earth SHOULD they, in 2016, vote for democrats?
In the past it might be argued that Blacks and Hispanics could legitimately feel better represented by Democrat politicians. There ARE, I believe, three reasons that minorities could point to in support of this position: 1) Democrat Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act. 2) Democrats by and large support increased welfare benefits. 3) Barack Obama, our first minority president, was nominated by Democrats. Are these important considerations? Certainly.
Are they an understandable rational for Democrat minority voting? Unquestionably.
However, the simple question presently at hand is: WHAT ABOUT NOW? Why should minorities vote Democrat THIS November? Has the Democratic Party lived up to its rhetoric? Have they lived up to their promises to minorities? Have they achieved the progress that they tell us they strive for? In short, have they DELIVERED?
The answer is, unfortunately, and unquestionably, absolutely not. Their record of achievement FOR minorities has been unspeakably HORRIBLE! And this applies to both African Americans and Hispanics. Here are just a few of the failures:
Under predominantly Democratic mayors, the inner cities of America have become cesspools of drugs, violence, crime, and, of course the poverty that follows the first three. Every other week we hear of some adorable child or some innocent passerby that is struck and killed by a stray bullet (including a top aid to a Governor!) And that’s just in New York! The murder rate this year in Chicago is already 468 and may set a new record of over 600 by year’s end! These numbers are NOT just gang members, but include INNOCENTS as well. And who does this DISMAL record affect the most? The people who live in the inner cities: Blacks and Hispanics.
Under primarily democratic leadership (and under the spotlight of an overwhelmingly Democratic press corps) police forces have become to so unappreciated, unsupported, demoralized, stymied and prevented from doing their job, that crime is rising at a breathtaking rate. The victims? Overwhelmingly black and Hispanic.
Under Democrat taxation policies the business climate in America has become so anemic that our economy has stagnated. Without economic growth, jobs are not created, people remain unemployed or underemployed and forever dependent on government largess. They become mired in poverty. Who is most affected by this? Blacks and Hispanics of course.
Worse still, the Democrats have fostered a culture of dependency. Low job opportunity and the the panacea of government support (of one variety or another) fosters a culture of dependency. Why bust your “posterior” when you can do almost as well at home watching TV? One statistic that absolutely ASTONISHES me involves unemployment. It is well known that government unemployment statistics underreport the magnitude of unemployment in our country. While this is clearly done for political expediency, the excuse that’s often given is that people have “stopped looking for work!”…STOPPED LOOKING FOR WORK?….STOPPED LOOKING FOR WORK??….WHAT DO YOU MEAN “STOPPED LOOKING FOR WORK”??? Is this really true? Does a person who’s “stopped looking for work” plan to spend the rest of his/her life dependent on hand outs? Do they plan to do NOTHING for the rest of their lives? How much more demoralized can one get? Mercy me! And who are those most likely to fall into this bottomless pit? Blacks and Hispanics, unfortunately.
Under the Democratic immigration policies of Barack Obama (and, if elected, Hillary Clinton) we have allowed so many illegal immigrants to come into this country, they consistently HOLD DOWN hourly wages because they are willing to work at far lower salary than Americans. Who is affected the most? Blacks and Hispanics.
•Under Democratic educational policies, many of which are advocated by the powerful (and heavily Democratic) teacher’s unions, poor teachers and poor schools have been allowed to continue unchecked with no prospects for correction or improvement. They have no real competition. Educational vouchers have been resisted. Accountability of schools, teachers AND students is present in name only. And we all know that a poor education perpetuates unemployment and government dependency, promotes crime, and drugs and “gangstah” culture. Affected most by this are, of course, blacks and Hispanics.:
Under Democratic policies our boarders have become so “porous” that it’s easier than ever to bring drugs across. Once the drugs get in, they go right to the inner cities, where they help victimize, who else, but Hispanics and Blacks.
My point here, is that, although minority support in the past for the Democratic Party made sense, in 2016, it DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! Despite the bluster of loudmouthed opportunists like Al Sharpton and the “oh so sincere” solidarity of the Hollywood “elite”, Blacks and Hispanics should take a long hard look at what Democrat policies and Democrat administrations have actually done for them. They may well end up saying TO the Democrats, a phrase borrowed from the title of a very good book by black journalist Jason Riley: “Please Stop Helping Us!”