Bernie Sanders sees 'real path' to winning African Americans' support

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Bernie Sanders sees 'real path' to winning African Americans' support

Nicky Woolf in New York
Thursday 5 November 2015 14.21 GMT

Vermont senator and prospective Democratic presidential nominee Bernie Sanders has admitted that his campaign is currently lagging behind that of Hillary Clinton among African-American voters, but said that he saw “a real path” to winning the community’s support.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Speaking to NPR’s Morning Edition on Thursday, Sanders said that “if the election were held today … just among the African-American vote, we would lose.” This is because he is “just not yet well-known” in the community, Sanders said.

“People will tell you that – it’s just the simple truth,” he said. “We have to do a better job of … discussing my record, which in the US Congress is one of the strongest records in terms of civil rights.”

Sanders said that “the African-American community and the Latino community are struggling, in a nation in which our middle class is struggling”. He pointed to America’s high incarceration rate as being “disproportionately black and Latino”.

“So I think the issues we are focussing on, rebuilding the economy, and in the process creating up to 13m decent-paying jobs, many of those jobs will be for minority communities,” Sanders continued. “Making public colleges and university tuition free will benefit everyone in America, but even more so in the African-American community.”

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/05/bernie-sanders-african-american-votes

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. ...

“So I think the issues we are focussing on, rebuilding the economy, and in the process creating up to 13m decent-paying jobs, many of those jobs will be for minority communities,” Sanders continued. “Making public colleges and university tuition free will benefit everyone in America, but even more so in the African-American community.”

Trickle down social justice.

[BlueCaliDem]

2. Exactly! Trickle down social justice

because fighting income inequality (or better said, wealth inequality) will stop racism against African Americans by LEOs, judges, public defenders, and our rotten justice system as a whole.

Yeah. Sure, Bernie.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. And it sets people up for failure

Born in 1997, 1998, 1999 who would be among that 'first class' of students.

Oh - and can they even pass the ACT or SAT?

Do they have the grades?


See - a lot of those kids who are gonna just get magically 'lifted into the Utopia' didn't have posh suburban education of the kids in by and large white, middle class families.

There is NOTHING - nothing in this plan for the kid who didn't get the best education in grade school.

[BlueCaliDem]

8. Exactly. And this is why Sanders isn't getting any traction in African American support.

They get it. He doesn't.

[randys1]

13. I have a question, which I am sure is answered here somewhere already.

What could any of these candidates do, if they had a congress to help them, and they dont, to directly deal with the issue?

What specifically, I know you have laid it out before but remind me, because I want to look for these things from now on when I listen.

Because you see as a white guy, what I hear is different from what you hear because our experiences in this country are so very different.

As a man, I hear something different from what a Woman hears, etc.

[JustAnotherGen]

20. Nothing

This idea is dead in the water until we get the deliberately ignorant out of the House and Senate. They love an ignorant America.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. Details ... Details. n/t

[tishaLA]

10. a perfect way of phrasing it nt

[SusanCalvin]

23. Argh. Nailed it. nt

[MADem]

25. Let's fix grammar schools first.

The quality of education that a child receives should not be dependent upon their zip code.

A universally rigorous education of academic excellence and artistic expression (art, music, dance, etc.) from pre-school forward should be a birthright in this country. It isn't.

Telling a kid to muddle through Shitsville Primary School and then on to Shot in the Hallway High School, and then expecting the kid to be competitive in college, is just, well, IDIOTIC. It's bad money after bad.

Start with their first exposure to education, that's where you build on excellence. If a kid loves to learn, a kid won't stop.

[Chitown Kev]

3. Well...he can't be who he is not...

I'm actually not all worried about Sanders (who probably never believed that he would beat Clinton)...

..thing is, if he wanted t reach AA voters, he needed to do a much better (and earlier) job than that.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. Watch it ... Your title line is dangerously close to ...

I'm thinking that it is in Bernie's DNA.

Which DU saw fit to hide.

[Chitown Kev]

12. Ask me if I give a damn

as Mom would say...

The hypocrisy of some white DU'ers is off the chain.

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. LOL ...

Is Mom short for Martin O'Malley?

[Chitown Kev]

16. lol, see now you are startin' shit!

[1StrongBlackMan]

18. Well ...

I does, what I does.

[Spazito]

4. I find this patronizing...

it strikes me as 'whitesplaining' yet again. There is no recognition of the AA community being well informed, very aware and many do know Senator Sanders and his record.

Voting is not a indicator of "one of the strongest records in terms of civil rights", imo. Putting forth bills, getting cosponsors, getting those bills passed would be a strong record to me.

There is a complete lack of recognition yet again that one can create all the jobs in the world and that won't stop the discrimination and racism practiced during hiring for those jobs. The same with the colleges and university tuition fees, unless there is true equality in the quality of education to AA children, the odds of them being able to access a college or university educations are much less than those of white children, imo.

I'm not impressed at his 'plan' at all as it is really just doing the same, focusing on economic inequality while putting social justice as an adjunct to his goal of economic equality, not as important.

[1StrongBlackMan]

9. +1 ...

There is a complete lack of recognition yet again that one can create all the jobs in the world and that won't stop the discrimination and racism practiced during hiring for those jobs. The same with the colleges and university tuition fees, unless there is true equality in the quality of education to AA children, the odds of them being able to access a college or university educations are much less than those of white children, imo.

[Tarheel_Dem]

19. +2

[JustAnotherGen]

5. This won't work

Until about 2030 for black Americans.

“Making public colleges and university tuition free will benefit everyone in America, but even more so in the African-American community.”

It assumes that black kids are ready/prepared for English 101 in September 2017.

They aren't.

The education has been BY design - deliberately - sub standard.

O'Malley is right - transform the 4th year of high school.

AND -

We also need to include ALL trades in this plan.

So far as I know Rutgers doesn't offer Solar Installation as a four year degree.

Just saying . . .


ETA- He won't win my support without transforming the 4th year and/or setting aside specific slots for attendance and money for trade schools for black young men and women.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. "We also need to include ALL trades in this plan. "

^^^ THIS ^^^

What has happened over the years is that many of the school vocational programs were shut down due to lack of money and what is left is usually inadequate. There is little or no effort to create co-op agreements with either junior or 4-year colleges and black children will come out of high school not only without the skills needed for college, but the skills even needed to get into a trade - e.g., electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, etc. As long as there are "living quarters" (houses, apartments, hotels, etc) and even just buildings in general, there will always be a need for roofers, plumbers, electricians, pipe-fitters, HVAC installers, etc., that are all considered "skilled" labor. But sadly, those occupations were traditionally run by white unions that have for generations kept blacks out, notably because the membership was generational and often closed-shop (whether de jure or de facto), where one generation brings the offspring (or other relatives) in, and so on, and so there is no chance to get into the trade.

And what happens with college, if black children hadn't been "tracked" into the college prep schools (versus the "college-bound" curricula in the average public high school), most end up spending the first year taking remedial english, math, science, etc., because what they had in high school for the "college-bound" curriculum, was sub-standard. And so right there, the student now has to spend money on what is in essence a 5th year of "high school", and would then end up spending more than others to complete the "traditional" 4-year degree.. which naturally leads to dropping out due to lack of money.

When you look at the wealthier white suburban schools, you will find that the children are actually getting the earliest "schooling" - not just in kindergarten, but in pre-K and earlier, often at the higher-end daycare facilities that feed children into those suburban schools. So by the time they hit kindergarten, they already completely know the alphabet (and can write it) as well as rudimentary math, reading, and many other concepts.

[JustAnotherGen]

27. You totally get me!

Thanks! I obviously co-sign all of it.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. What you wrote can't be emphasized enough!

[Starry Messenger]

11. I guess he finally noticed his plan of trying to attract the old Joe Lunchbox vote wasn't working.

It sucks when you realize all the people you thought you could ignore on the road to the White House notice you ignoring them, and then you slightly paying attention just for looks.

[JI7]

17. The biggest thing is he needs to just go to black gatherings

Neighborhoods and other places and just talk to people.

This way people could at least see that he listens and even if he may not completely get it he is concerned enough to listen and learn.

If he can get a few people who like him they will help in getting support from others and it will build up support.

Even for those who don't agree with or like Hillary its worth seeing how she has built the support she has in different communities. And it's not because they think she is the greatest fighter for them or will easily make everything better.

[1StrongBlackMan]

21. Do think it is in his ... er, ... character ...

to go and LISTEN?

[JI7]

22. i think he has shown he does listen

But it has to be s continuous thing .

I don't think he really thinks he has a chance of winning but mostly wanted to bring attention to a few issues.

I think if he could go back he would have started with more attention to diverse communities.

[SusanCalvin]

24. Yes. I so wish he would. nt