Biden Aides See Warning Signs in Black, Latino Turnout So Far

[Drek]

Black people have been hearing this since before we had voting rights.

Literal centuries of being told to wait, and enough elections where principles are thrown away when they're convenient (including this one), and I'm starting to think that Democrats and their philosophical ilk aren't actually after minority liberation and equality, but are after a comfortable status quo where oppression is simply ignorable.

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And black people now have voting rights. Incremental change is still change. If we lived in a just world a lot more would be done, I don't disagree, but the need for those reforms underscore just how far we are from a just world.

Also most white people aren't after minority liberation and equality and instead just want a comfortable status quo. But the Democratic party apparatus is in the hands of whomever can seize it. Voting for Dems isn't in the best interests of minorities because doing so will convince white Dems to commit to meaningful action improving systemic oppression and inequality. Voting for Dems is in the best interests of minorities because the party already includes more minorities in the seats of power, is more willing to at least consider minorities for major seats, and most importantly is the one with the smallest entrenched white monolith of voters and therefore the one most easily taken over via insurgent movements. Its either/or in a first past the post system.

Minorities voting for Biden has value for minority interests the same way unions voting for Biden has value for unions. Does any pro-labor person really think Biden is going to just scrub neoliberal economic policy? No, but Biden as POTUS will give more power to pro-labor congresspeople and give labor rights groups a bigger megaphone to speak to both politicians and to the public. Together those two facts can begin to change the narrative.

Biden (and the current Dem party as a whole) is a semi-tolerant host for progressive causes, giving them a way into the power structure, even if inch by inch. That doesn't mean direct action isn't still required. I'd argue that protests and similar will be more important under a Biden administration as then it might actually drive policy reform, since they would be more politically damaging to Biden than they are to Trump.

This of course assumes that everything isn't just inherently fucked, but if thats the case nihilism was the right answer and we're all fools for ever thinking otherwise.

 

[ChippyTurtle]

I am sure the white suburban moderates will be a reliable coalition in the Democrat Party going forward.

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hmm, i don't think relying on minority voters seals the deal for any politician, Clinton basically got lopped off by white voters despite strong Hispanic support. Dems won in 2018 off the back of the suburbs but the suburbs are more diverse now.

 

[Mekanos]

hmm, i don't think relying on minority voters seals the deal for any politician, Clinton basically got lopped off by white voters despite strong Hispanic support. Dems won in 2018 off the back of the suburbs but the suburbs are more diverse now.

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And you think that tradeoff is worth burning their most reliable support? The minorities the Dem party supposedly fights for?

 

[Brinbe]

this is florida, which doesn't mean much for anywhere that's not florida... and seniors going for biden will mean way more than trump doing better than expected with some minorities.

not to belittle florida but dems got their heartsbroken in florida in 2018 and it was still a wave election everywhere else. remember that

 

[Nepenthe]

And black people now have voting rights. Incremental change is still change. If we lived in a just world a lot more would be done, I don't disagree, but the need for those reforms underscore just how far we are from a just world.

Also most white people aren't after minority liberation and equality and instead just want a comfortable status quo. But the Democratic party apparatus is in the hands of whomever can seize it. Voting for Dems isn't in the best interests of minorities because doing so will convince white Dems to commit to meaningful action improving systemic oppression and inequality. Voting for Dems is in the best interests of minorities because the party already includes more minorities in the seats of power, is more willing to at least consider minorities for major seats, and most importantly is the one with the smallest entrenched white monolith of voters and therefore the one most easily taken over via insurgent movements. Its either/or in a first past the post system.

Minorities voting for Biden has value for minority interests the same way unions voting for Biden has value for unions. Does any pro-labor person really think Biden is going to just scrub neoliberal economic policy? No, but Biden as POTUS will give more power to pro-labor congresspeople and give labor rights groups a bigger megaphone to speak to both politicians and to the public. Together those two facts can begin to change the narrative.

Biden (and the current Dem party as a whole) is a semi-tolerant host for progressive causes, giving them a way into the power structure, even if inch by inch. That doesn't mean direct action isn't still required. I'd argue that protests and similar will be more important under a Biden administration as then it might actually drive policy reform, since they would be more politically damaging to Biden than they are to Trump.

This of course assumes that everything isn't just inherently fucked, but if thats the case nihilism was the right answer and we're all fools for ever thinking otherwise.

Click to shrink...

There's no reason to be satisfied with incremental change when A.) we have seen and are seeing the levers pulled much faster in other countries, with Chile being the most recent example, and B.) We don't have the leeway to let white supremacy grind the gears to a crawl with climate change on the way. Like, covid has exposed that our inability to enact meaningful change in a reasonable amount of time while catering to white feelings to the detriment of even your own power is actively costs thousands of lives.

Also, minorities being in seats of power is nonetheless dependent upon those minorities' viewpoints. Of the minority politicians that are Democrats, not all of them are on a similar philosophical plane as AOC. Like, you think progressive firebrands like me give the slightest fuck about Cory Booker? I've heard this before as well, that Democrats being in power allows progressives the leeway to make change. This doesn't normally bare out- turns out that when people gain power as a matter of a lack of meaningful choice, there's no incentive for them to actually do much in the way of compromising with progressives. And when those progressives want to leave the table, they're threatened by their so-called allies with four years of a Republican. Whole system is a fucking farce if you ask me.

Now, I don't think things are inherently fucked. I'm just painfully aware that I will not get a civil America in my lifetime, and it's this truth that breeds apathy. Like, yeah, I voted for Biden. But I really don't give a fuck anymore, because in 4 years we'll be doing this song and dance all over again.

Liberals wonder why black and brown folks don't show up, or even might vote Republican. It's because they are incapable of fighting for a better future so much as they are the sustaining of the status quo, and they do it with such zeal and consistency only a fool would think it's accidental.

 

[Beer Monkey]

well a significant part of the article's based on a Florida Dem operative, so

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Probably trying to feign concern to boost turnout even further and pick up more downticket seats.

Bottom line is turnout is spectacular and that's a great sign.

It's been pretty obvious for a while that Trump would need depressed participation or outright election fraud this time around.

The 'left' is even more motivated than during the blue wave of 2018. Notably.

 

[etrain911]

And black people now have voting rights. Incremental change is still change. If we lived in a just world a lot more would be done, I don't disagree, but the need for those reforms underscore just how far we are from a just world.

Also most white people aren't after minority liberation and equality and instead just want a comfortable status quo. But the Democratic party apparatus is in the hands of whomever can seize it. Voting for Dems isn't in the best interests of minorities because doing so will convince white Dems to commit to meaningful action improving systemic oppression and inequality. Voting for Dems is in the best interests of minorities because the party already includes more minorities in the seats of power, is more willing to at least consider minorities for major seats, and most importantly is the one with the smallest entrenched white monolith of voters and therefore the one most easily taken over via insurgent movements. Its either/or in a first past the post system.

Minorities voting for Biden has value for minority interests the same way unions voting for Biden has value for unions. Does any pro-labor person really think Biden is going to just scrub neoliberal economic policy? No, but Biden as POTUS will give more power to pro-labor congresspeople and give labor rights groups a bigger megaphone to speak to both politicians and to the public. Together those two facts can begin to change the narrative.

Biden (and the current Dem party as a whole) is a semi-tolerant host for progressive causes, giving them a way into the power structure, even if inch by inch. That doesn't mean direct action isn't still required. I'd argue that protests and similar will be more important under a Biden administration as then it might actually drive policy reform, since they would be more politically damaging to Biden than they are to Trump.

This of course assumes that everything isn't just inherently fucked, but if thats the case nihilism was the right answer and we're all fools for ever thinking otherwise.

Click to shrink...

"What is it that you wanted me to reconcile myself to. I was born here more than 60 years ago. I'm not going to live another 60 years. You always told me that it's going to take time.

It's taken my father's time, my mother's time, my uncle's time, my brothers' and my sisters' time, my nieces and my nephew's time. How much time do you want for your progress?" - James Baldwin


I think the problem with takes like these especially is that they're exhausting. They forget that minorities are real people with real material interests who have been told by Democrats again and again to hurry up and wait, meanwhile they get older, problems don't change and every two and four years they're asked to show up and shut up and get hype for a slow incrementalism that changes little about our material interests and needs. I'm not even black, just a Jewish queer person, and I'm exhausted. I can't imagine how tiring it must be for black and brown folx.

 

[shinobi602]

 

[captive]

There's no reason to be satisfied with incremental change when A.) we have seen and are seeing the levers pulled much faster in other countries, with Chile being the most recent example, and B.) We don't have the leeway to let white supremacy grind the gears to a crawl with climate change on the way. Like, covid has exposed that our inability to enact meaningful change in a reasonable amount of time while catering to white feelings to the detriment of even your own power is actively costs thousands of lives.

Also, minorities being in seats of power is nonetheless dependent upon those minorities' viewpoints. Of the minority politicians that are Democrats, not all of them are on a similar philosophical plane as AOC. Like, you think progressive firebrands like me give the slightest fuck about Cory Booker? I've heard this before as well, that Democrats being in power allows progressives the leeway to make change. This doesn't normally bare out- turns out that when people gain power as a matter of a lack of meaningful choice, there's no incentive for them to actually do much in the way of compromising with progressives. And when those progressives want to leave the table, they're threatened by their so-called allies with four years of a Republican. Whole system is a fucking farce if you ask me.

Now, I don't think things are inherently fucked. I'm just painfully aware that I will not get a civil America in my lifetime, and it's this truth that breeds apathy. Like, yeah, I voted for Biden. But I really don't give a fuck anymore, because in 4 years we'll be doing this song and dance all over again.

Liberals wonder why black and brown folks don't show up, or even might vote Republican. It's because they are incapable of fighting for a better future so much as they are the sustaining of the status quo, and they do it with such zeal and consistency only a fool would think it's accidental.

Click to shrink...

so run for office.

as you've so eloquently put, just because someone is a democrat, doesn't mean they're progressive. As ive said many times here for complaints exactly like yours, go run for office yourself. The only way we're going to bring about progressive policies is with progressives in office.

 

[Imperfected]

I mean, I don't blame black voters for being skeptical of vote-by-mail, I certainly wouldn't put it past the Republican Party at this point to just decide all mail from predominantly black zipcodes needs to go missing.

 

[jon bones]

 

[ToddBonzalez]

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It's still absolutely insane the GOP went with the "die for the economy" messaging. Hoping it does indeed bite them in the ass.

 

[onpoint]

that is why other white people should do it

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You... think they listen? "Ain't nobody gonna tell me what to think" is tough to penetrate, logic and facts be damned.

 

[Mekanos]

so run for office.

as you've so eloquently put, just because someone is a democrat, doesn't mean they're progressive. As ive said many times here for complaints exactly like yours, go run for office yourself. The only way we're going to bring about progressive policies is with progressives in office.

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If this is the only answer you can give a black woman venting her deeply seated anger and frustration at white supremacy then you've completely misunderstood the history of racism in this country and the Democrats allowing it to fester for decades.

This is basically just bootstraps rhetoric, but somehow even more perverse.

 

[Nepenthe]

so run for office.

as you've so eloquently put, just because someone is a democrat, doesn't mean they're progressive. As ive said many times here for complaints exactly like yours, go run for office yourself. The only way we're going to bring about progressive policies is with progressives in office.

Click to shrink...

I'm not going to get elected in Georgia by telling white people that, as a collective, they ain't shit, and I don't like hiding my feelings behind civility. And two, politics isn't my passion, as opinionated as I am. I do want to get more involved in the development of my community, but I've never had political aspirations. I want to be an animator. ;~;

 

[TheSkullPrince]

I'm Mexican-American and me and my family are all voting on Election Day.

 

[etrain911]

so run for office.

as you've so eloquently put, just because someone is a democrat, doesn't mean they're progressive. As ive said many times here for complaints exactly like yours, go run for office yourself. The only way we're going to bring about progressive policies is with progressives in office.

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This is such a cruel response to someone voicing their frustration about the current system. Also, for the record, do you not know how hard it is to run a campaign? Why aren't you running for office? I assume you must be some form of government official given your post. Another question for you: did you know the DCCC blacklists any firm that helps a candidate primary an incumbent? I'm on mobile so here's a link.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BBAB&usg=AOvVaw20d3py5Zw-N6ww95m0s3Af&ampcf=1

[/URL]

 

[akilshohen]

I'm black and just did early in person voting. Even though I'm in California, I do not trust in mail voting. The ballot I got in the mail was good for going through everything as I went through a voting guide and read up on everything.

 

[MrRob]

I'm hoping this is just standard Democrat bed wetting and not an actual problem come Election Day.

 

[Dekuman]

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So its just a proportions thing. Actual turnout is up, but white turnout outpaced Black and Latino turnout so their share dropped vis-a-vis 2016.

time to panic.

 

[captive]

I'm not going to get elected in Georgia by telling white people that, as a collective, they ain't shit, and I don't like hiding my feelings behind civility. And two, politics isn't my passion, as opinionated as I am. I do want to get more involved in the development of my community, but I've never had political aspirations. I want to be an animator. ;~;

Click to shrink...

I hear you. I've seriously considered running for office myself. But I'd call a mother fucker a mother fucker and that'd be the end of my campaign.

If this is the only answer you can give a black woman venting her deeply seated anger and frustration at white supremacy then you've completely misunderstood the history of racism in this country and the Democrats allowing it to fester for decades.

This is basically just bootstraps rhetoric, but somehow even more perverse.

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This is such a cruel response to someone voicing their frustration about the current system. Also, for the record, do you not know how hard it is to run a campaign? Why aren't you running for office? I assume you must be some form of government official given your post. Another question for you: did you know the DCCC blacklists any firm that helps a candidate primary an incumbent? I'm on mobile so here's a link.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BBAB&usg=AOvVaw20d3py5Zw-N6ww95m0s3Af&ampcf=1

[/URL]

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So first of all this isn't limited to a single black female on this forum. It's a repeated complaint on this forum about Biden not being a progressive.
However, if you want progressive policies you need progressives at the state and local level working up to the federal level. Not hoping Bernie sanders somehow gets the nom and then somehow wins the General. Only to be hamstrung by congress that won't pass a damn thing for him

The way to do that is to run for office instead of whinging about it on a forum. Or finding a progressive candidate and and supporting the shit out of them.
If the fucking tea party morons can do it I think we can.

And yes I have seriously considered running myself. But see above.

 

[bigmit37]

90% of everyone I know personally are latino (friends and family) and almost all of them voted for trump last time and they all plan on voting for trump this time as well.

anecdotal, but im not surprised at all by this article.

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Yeah. Same for me. Lot of my latino friends are all voting for Trump as well.

 

[BringBackSonics]

What was the media narrative during 2018 midterms? We're they pushing a horse race then too?

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yeah, remember the blue puddle narrative they were pushing? I remember those threads on era.

 

[Deleted member 1248]

Stop trying to live your life and instead put all your relatively modest hopes and dreams on hold to climb this impossible mountain.

Fantastic advice.

 

[Loud Wrong]

Isn't Biden ahead by double digits in all of the swing states? And even some traditionally red states? This shouldn't matter.

I'll tell you this though, the infighting here is going to be absolutely brutal if Trump somehow pulls this off.

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Swing states like NC, Penn, Florida, and Ohio? No, not at all.

 

[LegendX48]

Considering Biden's super racist 90s bill, not really surprised here.

 

[Azuran]

People really need to stop grouping Latinos together as one group. It doesn't work at all considering how different cultures and history are. A Cuban doesn't vote the same was as a Peruvian who doesn't vote the same way as as Guatemalan.

Like some racist Argentinian wouldn't be okay with deporting all the "lazy Mexicans"

 

[anamika]

So its just a proportions thing. Actual turnout is up, but white turnout outpaced Black and Latino turnout so their share dropped vis-a-vis 2016.

time to panic.

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Isn't that an increase in college educated white people? They usually vote democrat don't do? In fact it looks like bad news for trump because the non-college educated white folk vote share is down. That's good news for Biden.

 

[Trey]

Considering Biden's super racist 90s bill, not really surprised here.

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Why didn't that stop black voters for voting for him in 2008, 2012, and the 2020 primaries?

And black folks are still voting for him in this election so far.

 

[captive]

Stop trying to live your life and instead put all your relatively modest hopes and dreams on hold to climb this impossible mountain.

Fantastic advice.

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I want a thing but not willing to lift a finger to make it happen, and instead complain about it online.

 

[papermoon]

This might seem like an unrelated question to this topic, but I ask because my job takes me to different neighborhoods all over my city, and I can't help but notice blocks where mask-wearing is almost universal, and blocks where it's not.

Does mask-wearing/compliance correlate to being a supporter/voter for Biden?

 

[etrain911]

I want a thing but not willing to lift a finger to make it happen, and instead complain about it online.

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When you have valid complaints about the food at a restaurant, do you respond by opening up your own restaurant or do you just stop eating there and go search for another? I would much rather focus on direct action like protests than the sisyphean task of overcoming a party establishment that hates what I'm trying to do but wants me to fall in line anyway and frankly they want me to vote for them. It is not incumbent on me to fix them, I don't owe them my vote nor my time nor my career, it is incumbent on them to appeal to people like me who feel disenfranchised and apathetic about the party.

 

[Mekanos]

I want a thing but not willing to lift a finger to make it happen, and instead complain about it online.

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You're fucking wild dude. Absolutely no understanding of power dynamics or structure. If only the lazy internet progressives ran for office.

 

[etrain911]

You're fucking wild dude. Absolutely no understanding of power dynamics or structure. If only the lazy internet progressives ran for office.

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Yup, this is the kind of let them eat cake, pull themselves up by their bootstraps shit that makes leftists not want to go anywhere near a coalition with them.

 

[BlueTsunami]

90% of everyone I know personally are latino (friends and family) and almost all of them voted for trump last time and they all plan on voting for trump this time as well.

anecdotal, but im not surprised at all by this article.

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Another anecdote, I'm Puerto Rican and a lot of the Latinos I know seems to fall prey to this sense of toxic masculinity. As if Trumps bravado is admirable. It's fucking gross. Fortunately my father is not one of them but outside of him they tend to be within a spectrum of Trump admirers to Trump curious.

 

[LegendX48]

Why didn't that stop black voters for voting for him in 2008, 2012, and the 2020 primaries?

And black folks are still voting for him in this election so far.

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but this is about the lack of black and latine voters voting for him though?

I'm just assuming that bill would be a reason they're hesitant to support him and I can't blame either for it.

 

[Deleted member 4346]

Why didn't that stop black voters for voting for him in 2008, 2012, and the 2020 primaries?

And black folks are still voting for him in this election so far.

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...black voters aren't a monolith? Biden has done better with certain segments of the black vote than others.

 

[AnansiThePersona]

Alright white people time to save America 😂

 

[Deleted member 4346]

Alright white people time to save America 😂

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LOL can you imagine trying to build a lasting coalition of centrist white voters at the expense of your loyal base of POC? Yet here we are watching it in realtime.

 

[HylianSeven]

Click to shrink...

 

[AnansiThePersona]

LOL can you imagine trying to build a lasting coalition of centrist white voters at the expense of your loyal base of POC? Yet here we are watching it in realtime.

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It's like every 4 years we flip a magic penny

 

[Mekanos]

Alright white people time to save America 😂

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I said this a month ago!

Yeah, realistically the campaign isn't turning around in two months to address these groups. Biden and the Dems made their bet on flipping the suburbs and they're sticking to it. It's up to old white people now to save this country, I guess.

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...good luck.

 

[TacoSupreme]

Given that seemingly we already have a higher total turnout amongst black and Latino voters than we did in 2016, and that non-white voters are understandably more afraid of being discriminated against with mail-in-voting, this just seems like some Bloomberg shit prepping people to blame black and Latino voters if Trump somehow scrapes out a win. It's completely natural for non-white voters to show up at a lower rate in this election's mail-in-ballot heavy early voting. If someone's trying to selectively throw out ballots they'll probably focus on people from predominately black/Latino areas, and people with recognizably black/Latino sounding names.

Always gotta make sure the scapegoat is someone non-white. It's shitty white people behavior 101.

 

[golguin]

People really need to stop grouping Latinos together as one group. It doesn't work at all considering how different cultures and history are. A Cuban doesn't vote the same was as a Peruvian who doesn't vote the same way as as Guatemalan.

Like some racist Argentinian wouldn't be okay with deporting all the "lazy Mexicans"

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It's part of the problem with people in general. Cubans voting in Florida are the exact opposite of Mexicans voting in California.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

I want a thing but not willing to lift a finger to make it happen, and instead complain about it online.

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Wtf is wrong with you?

 

[Deleted member 11413]

People really need to stop grouping Latinos together as one group. It doesn't work at all considering how different cultures and history are. A Cuban doesn't vote the same was as a Peruvian who doesn't vote the same way as as Guatemalan.

Like some racist Argentinian wouldn't be okay with deporting all the "lazy Mexicans"

Click to shrink...

Yeah people really fail to understand this. We are talking about entire continents of people with wildly varying cultures and even different languages, acting as if they have the same political views is fucking stupid.

 

[Aztechnology]

We always have the power to win, and apathy takes it away.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Pulling out the stops, as they say.

 

[Deleted member 11413]

Pulling out the stops, as they say.

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"Stephen, whip me up some Willie Horton shit, stat!"

 

[platocplx]

Pulling out the stops, as they say.

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Ah so is this their final stand lean more into the xenophobia. Especially when non of this shit is even registering on voters radars right now.