Is Red the new Black? Pt. 1
It’s been nearly two months since the epic conclusion of certainly the most polarizing and historic Presidential Election in a few generations. Meltdowns are starting to come down to a steady boil, T.D.S. coping sessions have commenced and the Village People’s 1978 classic song Y.M.C.A. is at the top of the Billboard’s Chart. While there are so many things to unpack of how now President-Elect Donald Trump just turned the entire Political Establishment on it’s head by sweeping all seven swing states, getting the Popular vote and gaining voters in almost every demographic. I am most interested in exploring the quiet storm that has been brewing for some time now, that has finally touched down in the heart of the Democratic Party; the Black vote turning red.
The numbers are in. According to the Associated Press Exit Poll Harris got 80% of the Black vote, which was by comparison nine points less than what President Biden was able to secure in 2020. This means that Trump got 20% of the Black Vote this time, seven MORE than he did in 2020. No Republican candidate has been able to come close to this in 48 years (Newsweek). To be fair ,President -Elect Trump did not obtain this historic feet solely with his prickly wit and charm, he had some help from the Democratic Party. How was this possible? Before getting into a more detailed observation of the 2024 election; one must first know that the black vote for Democrats has consistently been in decline for the past few election cycles, especially among young black men.
To even begin to understand that trend you actually have to go back in history a bit to address some uncomfortable truths and perhaps the lack thereof; to the political events that occurred right before and after the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The History of the Red then Blue Black America
Generally speaking, most black people today affiliate the Democratic Party with the Party of Equality, Civil Rights and champions for the Middle Class and the Republican Party is self serving, for the rich, racist and sexist war-hawks; my father gave me this very narrative too as if it was handed down from generation to generation of the Black experience in America.
Contrary to this popular believe, one of the most eye-opening truths was that the Democratic Party for well over 100 years, was the party of the Confederacy, The KKK, segregation, the Jim Crow Laws which did not even end until 1968 and yes, it was the Democrats who were responsible for the massacre at the Black Wall Street of 1921 in Tulsa Oklahoma. The Republicans had to go to war with the Democrats to abolish slavery, it was due to Republican efforts that the 13th, 14th 15th and 19th Amendments passed. Republicans were the first to have black, Asian and women in government roles.
Nevertheless, one may tout about the Civil Rights Act being the catalyst for the “switch” for unwavering black devotion for the Democratic Party; which in some ways is indirectly true.
An article by CNN in 2014, What you might Not know about the 1964 Civil Rights Act illuminated the fact that all Civil Rights legislation from the 1950s — 1960s including historic landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed only because of a higher percentage of support from the Republican Party after seventy — five days of opposition from Democratic Senators who filibustered the Bill twice.(The Inconvenient truth about the Democratic Party)
Just this alone gives pause to how a party with such beginnings managed to win over black support.
Somehow, it was at this pivotal moment in American history, that for all the Republican Party managed to accomplish for the Black community, they simultaneously fumbled the ball.
1964 was also an election year and Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, as a senator, voted against the Civil Rights Act that was passed that July and as a result, Dr. King admittedly discouraged black voters from supporting Goldwater or any Republicans who shared his views. King threw his support behind Lyndon Johnson (even though he too had often opposed other Civil Rights legislation as a senator, but ultimately signed the 1964 Act into law… I guess he got a pass for that ). This shifted the black voting demographics seemingly along with the perception of Republicans. This in combination with Affirmative Action implemented both by President John F. Kennedy and Johnson by Executive Order sealed the deal. I guest Johnson was right when he made the comment:
“I’ll have those ******s voting Democratic for 200 years.” in response to signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (allegedly).
Nevertheless, as soon as Black Americans began to experience more freedom and rights and seemed to have more trust in the Democratic Party’s re-branded image, which for the most part was still focused on race but with a new approach. it opened up doors to a different kind of governmental- plot- device, masquerading as government assistance, mostly implemented by Democrats.
President Lyndon Johnson introduced Massive State Welfare to the Black community, President Clinton signed the 1994 Crime Bill into law which was authored and promoted by our current President, Joe Biden(who advocated for segregation in Delaware during the 1970s(NBC News). Margret Sanger, the matriarch of Planned Parenthood, til this day, is seen as a hero for the Democratic Party in spite of being a well-documented supporter of eugenics and considered by many to have had racist motives towards the Black community. What was the fruit of these federally incentivized and government-adjacent agendas championed by the Democrat Party?
In its early years, State Welfare implemented during the Johnson Administration, had the “ no man at home” rule, which launched the division of the strong Black family and community structure. Making it vulnerable to poverty, drugs, crime and consequently, more government involvement; today, approximately 57.6% of Black children are living without their biological fathers present in the home. The Mass incarceration of Black men from both the Drug ( via President Nixon) and Crime bills further damaged the Black community by accelerating this epidemic of fatherlessness. Placing Black women in a position of more dependence on the government, conditioning them to rely more on a monthly check to run their households without the presence of Black men.
As of today, liberal cities like Baltimore, Detroit, New Orleans, and New Mexico have some of the highest crime and drug use rates in the country, and they are majority populated by Black communities. It is also worth noting that in the midst of all of this, Black women have the highest abortion rates while the Black population as a whole only makes up 13.6% of the U.S. (6 pts less than the Hispanic population, even though Black Americans arguably have been here longer).
To be clear, not every government program from the Democrats have been bad, however, it seems like for every 1 policy to help advance Black America forward, there were 3 bad ones attached to it that was just part of the “smoke and mirrors” of progress, allowing just enough movement while keeping you under control and loyal to the “ cause”. Overall, disparaging conditions in urban blue strongholds remain unchanged, many Blacks who have found success either had to leave those urban areas or were blessed to grew up with a strong two-parent household and were never confronted with those disadvantages in the first place. In turn, years of continued loyalty with not enough return into Black communities struck the match that was a huge factor in the Black vote eventually trending away from the Democratic Party.
Whew! This still does not quite address the red elephant in the room, nor the orange man riding it or black men helping to lead the way to a conservative resurgence.
Is Red the New Black part 2 https://medium.com/@corrinda.foreman84/is-red-the-new-black-pt-2-92ea12979341
