Many African American editorial columnists often write about Black voter and Black business participation in campaigns and elections. The Gantt Report probably discusses Blacks in politics more than any other writers.
Universally, the Black media cry regarding politics almost always focuses on the non-use or misuse of Black-owned newspapers and other media companies, the lack of Black political professionals in decision-making campaign decisions and the strange, and sometimes selfish, relationships between so-called Black community leaders and non-Black political candidates.
Well, I’m guilty of editorial misdirection. Sometimes The Gantt Report and other columns seem to suggest no money is spent by whites, for example, and subsequently little or no money is made by Blacks in America’s political purchasing transactions.
The truth is the candidates that do have money will try to spend some in states, cities and communities where there are a significant number of African American voters.
When candidates, labor unions, PACs (Political Action Committees), 527s and other political big spenders seek to spend money to generate Black voter support and voter turnout, they often lack knowledge about the best ways to spend political money in the Black communities and the best Black people to spend the political money with.
So what do the candidates, and others do, they seek advice from the man or woman next to them. The white candidates, more often than not, ask the Black elected officials whom they should spend political campaign money with.
And when asked, what do too many Black elected officials respond? It appears as though they say, “Don’t buy ads in Black-owned media, don’t hire Black political professionals and don’t patronize Black political vendors, GIVE THE MONEY TO ME”!
I’m sorry. I know you don’t like for me to write like I do and expose people that get rich off of our exploitation and oppression but I have to tell it like it is whether my readers and neighbors like it or not.
This is not a “rat” column or snitch move. I truly don’t care if Black elected officials make money themselves or pay their friends, family members and significant others to do work on political campaigns or in governmental relations. I wish them well. I hope they prosper.
What I don’t like are the lies.
Don’t say that any Black elected official is better than any educated, trained and experienced Black political professional. Don’t say there are more registered Black voters inside churches than there are outside of churches. Don’t say Black newspapers are only good for running pictures of politicians and press releases and Black newspapers are worthless for political advertising.
It takes a village to raise a child and it takes a village to wage a winning political campaign. Elected officials are needed and political professionals and political vendors are needed too. We all have a role in the politics and betterment of our communities.
Don’t take my word for it, the facts are clear and the facts are available. You tell me the name of the Black elected official that always turns out fifty percent or more of the registered voters in his political district. I know more than a few elected officials that win seats in Houses of Representatives with less than 4000 votes (in districts that have 80,000 registered voters) and State Senators that get elected by turning out less than ten thousand voters (in districts with over 100,000 eligible voters).
Yes, the Black elected officials in your city are making more money during political elections than anybody else. They are sharing the money with each other and not even dreaming about telling people to buy advertising in Black media, to utilize Black professionals and vendors and to respect Black voters.
I’m not mad with them for making money off of Black voters and they shouldn’t be mad with me for telling you about it.
This election year, look for a very low Black voter turnout because individuals, groups and businesses in our neighborhoods are not, by and large, going to be hired to generate and increase the numbers of Black voters.
I call what’s happening Black Political Welfare. I guess that’s better than Black political warfare!
By Lucius Gantt
The Gantt Report
