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The Privilege of Liberal Complacency

A Note From Anika Robbins
Founder, Black Votes Matter MN

‘We are not outnumbered, we are out-organized” - Malcolm X

If you are today years old when you heard about Project 2025, you’re already behind. Read about it in article, Project 2025 - A Modern Mein Kampf.

 

In a recent interview on The Conversation with Al MacFarlane, the question was raised: What are you going to do when they come for you? “We’ve never had a real conversation in our community about how we will handle attacks”, says Al MacFarlane, Publisher of Insight News and the program’s host. Be it harsh policies that undermine human and civil rights, or physical attacks such as we experienced in Minneapolis during protests following George Floyd’s murder - many perpetrated by right wing provocateurs, who traveled to Minnesota to infiltrate peaceful protests - is there a plan to protect Americans…to protect democracy?

 

 

‘That could never happen…Right?’

 

Many scoff at the idea of a mass coordinated effort to overthrow or adopt a new government. Mass deportation, arrests and violence towards people of color, the LGBTQIA community, the removal of environmental protections that would ensure clean air and drinking water - and all other systems of structure and accountability. It’s hard to fathom the idea of an autocratic government. But why? The January 6th insurrection was but a dress rehearsal. The end of affirmative action in college admissions and the reversal of Roe v. Wade, along with the recent ruling suspending the Fearless Fund’s grant program to support Black women founders, are but the tip of the iceberg of a long orchestrated plan to ‘Make America Great Again.’

 

 

So what’s the plan?

 

We know what ‘they” are doing. But what’s the Democratic plan? The Green plan? The Independent plan? Is there a HUMAN plan? Project 2025 began in 2022 - but its author, the Heritage Foundation, was founded in 1973. Organizing nearly 20,000 Sentinel activists and more than 2 million local grassroots activists around the nation to push their agenda. A democratic response was only issued days ago.

 

What’s your plan? Millions poured into the streets in May 2020 during the civil unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd and others, but those numbers dwindled when the elections rolled around in November the same year. We like to say we are oppressed, but are we oppressed enough to do something about it? Are we oppressed enough to vote?

 

In the February 2024 Primary, 40% voted ‘uncommitted;’ for some, as a protest to the Israeli/Hamas conflict. This tactic may have worked to some degree as the United Nations Security Council passed a U.S.-drafted cease-fire deal aimed to end the Israel-Hamas conflict  in Gaza. But is ‘sitting out’ or voting ‘uncommitted’ a viable strategy for the November 2024 elections?

 

The issue is the Couch Caucus. Apathy will be the greatest challenge to the vote this year.” says Brett Buckner, Managing Director of OneMN.org. But the trauma of politics is real. Each year, we see growing apathy. Not just among young adults - young Black men, in particular -  who don’t believe their vote counts in a system not designed for them to thrive. Many liberals are growing despondent. Some might say from as far back as the Bush - Gore race in 2000…or Bush - Kerry in 2004; Trump - Clinton in 2016.

 

Do Black Votes Matter?

 

Like clockwork, the Black vote is volleyed between the two main parties every presidential cycle, with few gains tracked for the Black community. “Too often, the Black vote is taken for granted as an automatic vote for one party over the other.” says Deebaa Sirdar. “Neither the president nor congress have advanced Reparations Bill (H.R. 40) for African American descendants of slavery on a national level. As a result, Black Americans rightfully believe we are voting for the ‘lesser of two evils’.”

 

Despite blatant racist rhetoric and executive policy action, Trump has gained traction with Black and Latino men. As cultural identification with Democrats wanes, Latinos who tend to lean conservative, have become more willing to “vote their principles and values” by supporting Republicans, says Alfonso Aguilar, in a quote to CNN. Aguilar is the director of Hispanic engagement for the conservative American Principles Project. Since 2016, Republicans have increased their vote among more non-White voters without a college degree than they have among those with advanced education. For Black men, economic security, the appearance of strength, and according to rapper 50 cent (Fiddy), he sees Black men ‘identifying with Trump because they have RICO charges’. This statement echoes recent comments by the former president on increasing support from Black men, because ‘the Black people…have been hurt so badly and discriminated against. They actually viewed me as being discriminated against.’  

The keys to victory were Black, Latinx, Asian and Native voters and first time participants - over 60% of first time voters selected Biden.

 

In the three Rust Belt states, Biden reversed the election by winning those states by 200 thousand voters and flipping traditional red states - Arizona (Phoenix) and Georgia (Atlanta) as well. It would appear that many are vocal, but few are vocalizing through the vote. Continued complacency may cost us democracy.  

In recent years, many voters tend to vote ‘a la carte’, basing their votes on certain issues specific to them. Support for Biden, for instance, has softened as a few policy actions have been challenged or ruled unconstitutional. The conservative majority Supreme Court struck down Biden's student loan forgiveness executive action, causing tens of millions to restart payments during an economic slow down. U.S. aid to Israel has also caused great concern to many voters as it has aided in the devastating loss of life after the horrific October 7th attack by Hamas.

 

Conversely and erroneously, many voters believed president Trump was the sole reason why they received economic stimulus checks during covid pandemic. This perspective is misunderstood as those checks were allocated by the democratically controlled Congress - House and Senate signed by President Trump.

 

Democrats, or any political party seeking to sway voters, will have to outline a plan that substantially increases socioeconomic opportunities for the Black community, move towards righting the wrongs of slavery - and lingering impacts still felt today. They would have to take a bold stance on police accountability, civil and human rights protections, the environment, and protect reproductive rights.

 

It’s obvious neither party has considered what the absence of the Black vote could mean. It’s also clear many Black voters are no longer willing to be played. By anyone.

 

 

What’s at stake?

 

In Minnesota, one of two US senators, all eight US representatives, the State House of Representatives, and control of the state Senate will be determined. Locally, many residents will be electing their next county commissioner, judges at all levels, mayor, city council members, school board members, and voting on local ballot questions.

 

The winner of the 2024 presidential election could appoint two Supreme Court justices, potentially locking in a conservative or liberal majority for the next 20 years. Note - President Trump appointed three justices during his four-year administration. Remember, less than half of those voted in 2016 voted for him.

 

Abortion rights and women’s healthcare are also on the ballot. Tie breaking votes in the U.S. Senate, a duty of the Vice President of the U.S. who serves as the presiding officer, will also be determined.

 

"We must think critically about how our federal administration intersects with local politics and programs which seek to redress harm as a form of reparations and enact restorative justice programs,” continues Deebaa Sirdar. For example, the George Floyd Act, the Stable Homes Stable Schools program in Minneapolis, the Recovery Act for Reparations in St. Paul, diversion programs in Hennepin County, equitable cannabis policies, are examples of what reparations can look like in real time.

 

Yes. “Every Vote Matters!” continues Buckner.  “Ask Gore about Florida in 2000 and Hillary in 2016.” It may not be a perfect system, and all the players may not check off every item on our wishlist, but it is a system no less and one that works with those who show up - regardless of who they are, or what they represent. This is a numbers game. He or she who has the most votes wins. It’s really that simple. Whachu gonna do? Whachu gonna do when they come for you?

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Anika Robbins

Founder & Publisher

Black Votes Matter MN

 

Photo Credit

Uche Iroegbu

Black and Latino men who choose to drink the kool aid may be in for a rude awakening. Many of the policies outlined in Project 2025 would affect them the most - beginning with mass deportation and the rollback of any policies that would promote access to wealth creation opportunities for Black and other marginalized communities.

But can Black voters, any voter, afford to sit this one out? The answer is NO! EVERY VOTE COUNTS AND MATTERS. Roughly 40% of America’s 323.1 million residents - decided for 60% of the country who the president would be. The 2016 race was decided by under 80,000 people in three states / cities - Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Michigan (Detroit), and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).  Former President Trump boasted that fewer Black voters showed up to the polls in 2016 compared to historic and intense turnouts of 2008 & 2012 for President Obama in critical battleground states was, ”almost as good” as their support. The 2016 result was flipped in 2020 as a massive increase of Americans voted, raising the residents vote share to 47.35%.

Photo Credit

Uche Iroegbu

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TUESDAY

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

COUNTDOWN TO

ELECTION  DAY

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