Attaining the Black Vote: Genius, Pandering or Something Else

We are inching closer and closer to Election Day - 14 days to be exact, which means the endorsements are coming in heavy from all sides. While it doesn’t look like Biden will need the help, according to different polls Joe Biden has a substantial lead, remember the polls said the same for Hillary Clinton four years ago before she ultimately loss the 2016 Presidential Election.

The Biden campaign isn’t taking any chances though and are crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s. In an ad posted last week to the Ultimate Rap League Youtube page, battle rap veterans Charlie Clips & DNA talk about what is at stake during the election and why the Black American vote in particular should go to Biden & Harris. Here’s the ad below.

The Haziethoughts group text was torn on whether the ad was effective. Thoughts ranged from - leaning corny, meeting people where they’re at and feeling the ad. It also reminds me of the conversation we had on the podcast in regards to the black vote.

What does the black vote mean and what responsibility comes with who ends up with it?

It is common knowledge that for the last 60 years, or since the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that Black Americans in mass have voted Democrat in national elections. The state of Black American life since then has been continually up for debate. One thing I don’t think is debatable are the numbers.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Black Americans are 13.4 percent of the population, making Black Americans the third largest demographic as far as race goes in the United States. So if Black Americans aren’t the largest of minority groups why is their vote so suppressed by one of the major parties and sought after by the other?

To me, the history of the country is at the heart of the issue. Whether it be the right to citizenship, the right to vote or the right marry who wants - those rights have always been fought for between blacks and whites initially in the United States.

The black vote will not determine the outcome of the election (looking at you white women) but whoever the United States votes in as president, Black Americans will be blamed for him good or bad, mostly the bad.