Double Down on Black Voters

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Dr. Ron Daniels, President, IBW-ACTION

I recently penned a piece entitled, Democracy in Danger: Black Led Rainbow Wave to the Rescue. It was dedicated to Rev. Jesse L. Jackson on his 83^rd birthday. One aspect of the political genius of Rev. Jackson was his constant reminder to Black people of the arithmetic of our power. As the undisputed heavy weight champion of voter registration, education and get out the vote (GOTV) of his time, Rev. Jackson would relentlessly remind us that unregistered or non-voting Black folks often constituted the margin of victory or defeat over reactionary candidates opposed to civil rights, social programs, social justice and Black progress. We definitely miss the clarion clarity of Rev. Jackson’s voice and action as we face the most consequential election in a century; the prospect of victory by the radical, rightwing, retrograde forces of Donald Trump and his cult-like, racist-tinged Make American Great Again Movement, MAGAISM.

As the polls remain alarmingly and inexplicably tight in the key battleground states that will determine victory or defeat for our progressive Rainbow Wave, Vice-President Harris is wise to finally be working to motivate disaffected, alienated, unlikely voters who do not feel that voting matters. I say finally, because for weeks the Harris-Walz Campaign seemed afflicted by “avoid the hood syndrome;” a pre-occupation with courting and cultivating White working-class voters, White women in the suburbs and disaffected Republicans while avoiding the appearance of depending on Black voters.

While this outreach to this targeted outreach to White Voters is absolutely important, for weeks I have been sounding the alarm that to amass the record number of voters required to decisively defeat Trump and MAGAISM, Kamala Harris needed to take the campaign directly and unapologetically to the heart of the hood. That’s right, to the heart of the hood to see, touch, inform, engage, encourage and persuade sisters and brothers who may be unlikely voters, that voting, that marching on ballot boxes will make their lives better.

It is important to recall, to remember that Hilary Rodham Clinton loss Wisconsin in 2016 by the margin of a 1% dip in the Black voter turnout in Milwaukee! I have absolutely no doubt that are more than enough unlikely or disinterested Black voters in Milwaukee, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for our Rainbow Wave to carry the day, to win, to decisively defeat Trump and MAGAISM in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In fact, Black voters can also be the margin of victory in states like Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas.

I just listened to a report on CNN that indicated that 80 million eligible voters of all races did not vote in the 2020 election. That’s right, huge numbers of people do not vote in elections in the USA. If eligible Black voters are just 10% of the 80 million, that’s 8 million sisters and brothers who could and should be reached to march on ballot boxes to constitute the margin of victory for a Black led Rainbow Wave!

So, I am thrilled that Vice-President Kamala Harris is belatedly taking some time, making some time to reach out to sisters and brothers in the hood.  Indeed, she needs to be visiting barber shops, beauty salons, restaurants and holding some rallies in the heart of the hood so sisters and brothers can see, hear and feel her. Yes, I said it again, because that’s what will convince sisters and brothers who feel locked-out and left-out in marginalized neighborhoods, that there is a sister, Vice-President Kamala Harris who sees and feels them.  With just three-weeks left, it’s late in the game, but still not to late for Kamala Harris to double down on motivating Black voters in this way to march on ballot boxes at the center and forefront of a mighty, righteous Rainbow Wave to defeat Trump, rescue democracy, advance the interest and aspirations of Black America and people of all races! So, sister Vice-President, keep making time to hang-out in the hood. #KamalaToTheHood