People more frequently need to be reminded than to be informed.
One of the most basic forms of human failure is forgetting what we set out to accomplish.
– Nietzsche
Themes related to voting and America’s domestic enemies — the fascist-like rulers in DC – must be oft-repeated to break through miseducation, preconceived notions, ignorance, and unconscious biases; as well as to move people from knowledge, once acquired, to action and perseverance.
Black people have been told forever that we have no power to improve our condition and that our votes don’t matter. Black non-voters should know that we do not punish White Supremacists by not voting – we punish America, and, in particular, America’s descendants of slaves.
The enemies of African Americans, the other oppressed groups, and Democracy are the same: white supremacists, plutocrats, counterfeit clerics, misogynists, false prophets, misanthropists, authoritarians, and tyrannists, as well as moral idiots, imbeciles and morons. Don’t call all of them Republicans, the real rulers are Radical Right Extremists, a virtual Trumpist cult.
Although the deceivers have encouraged the oppressed groups to oppose each other rather than confront their true enemy together, de Tocqueville hit the mark: The unfortunate races (and groupings) had neither birth, nor face, nor language, nor customs in common; only their misfortunes looked alike. They occupied an equally inferior position in the country they inhabited; experienced the same effects of tyranny; and, while their miseries were different, their abuse came from the same source (white supremacists).
America’s duplicitous miseducation with regard to voting-power has had an especially dampening effect on the voting behavior of Black Americans, and therefore our lives – 10 to 12 million Black Americans are consistent self-disenfranchisers. Improvement in this regard – reducing the number of Black self-disenfranchisers, with appropriate post-election follow-up — can force major societal changes that will improve the lives of the least among us, and, consequently, advantage the nation. In fact, if every eligible voter did vote, fascism, brutal economic disparities, injustice, and unfair laws would be impossible.
Nature may abhor vacuums, but members of the power elite worship them. Citizen indifference creates the political leadership vacuum, and self-serving demagogues rush in to acquire and secure the decision-making entities – from local to national levels.
In 2008, the white turnout exceeded the Black turnout by only one percentage point, and Obama won, a democratic “revolution;” and in 2012, the Black turnout was three points higher and Obama won, again. But in 2016, the white turnout was five points higher and Trump won — a despotic “revolution.” Trump’s win ushered in an era of massive assault against the Democratic Principles, and an increase in the most heinous crimes against specific groups of citizens.
Notes about 2016: 65% of the eligible white voters turned out, as compared with 60% of the eligible Black voters; Clinton beat Trump by nearly 3 million votes; and Trump’s victory was driven by a mere 112,000 votes that swung the Electoral College in his favor — 112,000 voters constituted only 0.043% of American adults, and only 0.033% of the US population.
Trump lost in 2020 because 17.1 million more Americans voted than they did in 2016, the largest increase noted between consecutive presidential elections. Keep in mind that Trump gained over 11 million more votes in 2020 than he won in 2016, but still lost.
From 2000 to 2018, the nation’s voter eligible population increased from 193.4 million to 233.7 million, 76% of which is non-white. Regrettably, their voting rates are lower than their counterparts.
The Radical Right segment of the Republican Party has been steadily amassing domination over the party, now complete, and the party has been gaining immense influence at the local and county levels. Local influence gave them power to work their will in local and county levels in ways they could not, until now, do in DC, which retarded progress. Although he lost the election in 2020, Trump won 2,586 counties to Biden’s 527.
When national politics intrudes into municipal government, nothing resulting thereafter in wickedness is then implausible. – Twain
Think nationally but work locally has been perfected by Republicans, while Democrats have failed as yet to orchestrate the power of the Americans who don’t want fascism. All major racial and ethnic voter groups lean Democratic, except white. Republicans, however, have proved to be infinitely more successful than their counterparts in pushing America to the brink of Fascism even though fascist-oriented Americans are massively outnumbered by Americans who do not fall into that vile category. About 190 million voter eligible Americans did not vote for Trump in 2024.
Can American Democracy be salvaged – I still think so if more self-disenfranchisers vote.
I am a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.
– Antonio Gramsci
