Trump: I will get 95% of the African-American vote in 2020

[Fuzzy Bear]

And you gripe about Trump's supporters being poorly educated.  LMAO.

Fuzzy, as you know, I'm a prolific effort-poster, but what you wrote is too dense in this context. Aside from the sheer size of your post, there are too many subtopics to respond to. Any meaningful discussion on what you posted would essentially come down to trading essays all day.

That being said, unless you simply wanted to post your thoughts and not actually engage in discussion on it, then it would be better to condense it down into a couple paragraphs or less. I'm not going to respond to the content for some of the reasons above, but also because I don't have the time or desire for that particular topic.

Wow!

And I thought Christine Quinn on CNN was condescending!

[Badger]

The fact that Trump did not make his address in Milwaukee is a bogus issue.  Many blacks and white liberals would then be criticizing Trump for "throwing gas on the fire" with his presence, and they would blame Trump for the behavior of the crowd.  (And I'm sure folks would deliberately attempt to incite all sorts of bad behavior by interrupting such an event at that time; civility would not be present, and that would likely not be Trump's fault, but he'd have been blamed, anyway.)

On the other hand, it is a legitimate criticism of Trump to point out that his comments reflected the belief that all blacks are living in urban poverty.  This is not the case; there is a black middle class, and there are rural blacks at different economic levels.  Trump was poorly advised on this, but he has opportunities to recover.

If I were Trump, I would emphasize several policy points:

1.  I would note the fact that African-Americans are more likely to own their own businesses than most groups.  I would recognize that entrepreneurial spirit and discuss, in policy terms, issues of helping community-owned businesses thrive in black communities, and especially those communities that are underserved by larger businesses.  I would ask black business owners to reconsider why they support Democrats, given the difference between the two parties on business and commerce issues.

2.  I would not the fact that African-American are more likely to be churchgoers than most groups.  African-American churches span a wide theological range, but many predominantly black denominations are, indeed, Fundamentalist and Pentecostal in doctrine, and many black Christians belong to conservative denominations and don't always attend predominantly black churches.  I would discuss issues of morality, and ask black folks to look at where they stand, individually, on a range of moral issues.  I would also be bold enough to point out that when the choice is between their political party and Biblical doctrine, many blacks have put their politics ahead of their theology, and ask them why this is so?  Invite them to vote their Faith.

3.  I would show empathy for victims of crime in black neighborhoods.  I would recognize that there have been issues of police maltreatment of black folks, and this is never acceptable.  I would also recognize the grievances of the people in places like Ferguson, MO, whose real grievances involve systems of fines and penalties for trivial infractions that are devastating on folks living paycheck to paycheck at best, and which have been designed to fill municipal coffers on the backs of the lower income citizens, and pledge to work to stop that.  But I would also emphasize that the real threat to the lives of blacks in America comes not from police, but from remorseless criminals living in their midst that have little or no regard for human life (often, including their own lives) and are armed to the teeth.  I would recognize the fear that ordinary blacks living in predominantly black neighborhoods on the lower end of the economic scale have of such folks, many of whom belong to highly organized criminal gangs, but I would also rhetorically ask the members of those communities to, at a minimum, be honest about the fact that these criminals are the folks they are most afraid of.  And I would point out the moral cowardice of many specific politicians from these areas who have been unwilling to do so, publically, and rhetorically ask why this is so.

4.  I would call for the GOP to end its efforts to impose voter ID laws.  I would call such measures an attempt to impose a poll tax, something that is unconstitutional, and acknowledge that many blacks are rightly offended in viewing these measures as being aimed at them.  I would go so far to say that the GOP is wrong on this issue, and it's creating the kind of misunderstanding amongst blacks that keeps many from even considering voting Republican when the GOP is more in line with their own world view.

5.  I would point out that African-Americans commit crimes, and commit violent crimes, at rates higher than their percentage of the population.  While acknowledging that there are factors that may artificially drive these stats up, I would point out that when all the other stuff is boiled over, the fact that blacks commit crimes at a significantly higher rate than other groups remains.  I would state that this is a problem that makes everyone uncomfortable, but it's time for an honest acknowledgement of this by all parties, because without that, an honest finding as to why this is so is unlikely.  But I would also acknowledge that over-criminalization of minor offenses is a real issue, and the permanency of a criminal record, especially a felony record, has become a bar to folks being able to fully participate in American economic life, even when the crime was committed at a young age, and was an isolated incident.  I would acknowledge that the over-stigmatization of criminal records is something that disproportionately impacts blacks, and that it is a real barrier to economic equality, and a barrier for which there are many reasons that are not defensible.  I would pledge to commit to develop policies that enable persons who have made mistakes to TRULY overcome the burden of a criminal record when they seek employment.  Indeed, I would mention that this is in line with the Christian principle of RESTORATION.

African-Americans are not likely to vote for Trump in significant numbers, but Trump COULD be a force in helping African-Americans to reconsider their interests versus group pressures (and there is REAL social pressure in much of the black community not to vote Republican) by appealing to blacks as Americans, but being consistent about it.  Trump's right about Hillary viewing blacks as nothing but a source of votes; his challenge is to offer something better.  If I were his adviser, this is what I'd advise him.

Too long to bother reading. Could you summarise it, preferably, in 10 words or less?

Blah blah blah...democratic plantation....blah blah...blacks are thugs who need our pity...

Actually a lot of similarities to BLM. The real movement, not rioting thugs of Fox News nightmares.

[Virginiá]

Wow!

And I thought Christine Quinn on CNN was condescending!

He griped about the size of your post (seemed like it could be construed as an insult), you cracked an insult yourself, and I responded on why I thought ag had a legitimate reason to post what he did and why that didn't really deserve an insult in response, or at least that particular insult. If that came off condescending, sorry, it was not meant to be.

[Senator Spark]

Not if Kanye is running he won't.

[Sir Mohamed]

Where’s the LOL option?