Lord, I would love your opinion on this question because I am so curious about it.
This is speculation and anecdotal, so keep that in mind. Also, I'd consider my friends of both Latino and Black heritage to be atypical as they are almost exclusively military, law enforcement, or both. My neighbors of similar ethnic background tend to be a better barometer as a whole.
Why do you think that the black vote has been in the 90% range to democrats for so long.
First, don't confuse solidarity for monolithic. Black folks often disagree privately but present a united front. Both the church and leaders of the black community, and more recently black politicians are often as much a buffer as representation. That is to say the community at large expects these individuals to be point men as well as leaders. It's not that black people need to be told what to do or aren't comfortable dealing outside their race they feel that people on equal footing and authority get more accomplished. So when a guy in a suit from government or a corporation shows up generally they trust their designated point man to be most effective.
The problem begins when these point men become part of the system, corrupted by power and wealth. There's a joke about black politicians getting caught stealing not because black people are thieves bit because they have less time and experience at being thieving politicians.
Are they better salesmen?
They showed interest. Frankly the pubs would like the black vote but never really needed it, until now.
That corruption I touched on was gradual. Initially dems saw an unexplored demographic that could be a very powerful voting bloc if properly motivated.
The strengths of the black community tend to rely on religion and family so it surprises me not at all what tactic those with less than honorable intentions started.
Stepping away from race for a second, what makes the NRA powerful is no+ because they control the gun lobby, bit because they can laser focus on an issue and deliver a near flawless voting bloc.
It's not that gun owners are stupid or easily convinced, it's that they can be mobilized to vote as a single entity consistently.
This is where confusing monolithic and solidarity bites them in the ass, because unlike the NRA the black community has more than one issue on its plate and some of them are interconnected.
Have they actually delivered?
I believe that they delivered enough in certain places, combined with missteps by the GOP, to make "we re still doing a better job than them" palatable.
Or is it for so many blacks not really into poliics that it's just become a natural thing to do, and frankly easier than to buck the party and maybe not alienate friends and family.
That's not it at all. Ive witnessed and had far more heated discussions with black people about politics and politicians than white. Matter of fact in my personal experience civilian white folks are curiously reticent about their politics generally.
I can't speak for the younger generation of any race, by and large they seem fairly apathetic compared to their elders.
There's certain issues where going against the grain is going to get you the side eye but ive found generally if you can back up what you say with something more than feels, you get a detente rather than open hostility. Bit it depends on what space the discussion takes place.
So why do you think dem support from blacks has been so very high for so long?
The Pubs have done a really shitty job of changing the idea that the GOP is the party of rich white people and ignorant ass rednecks.
Hillary might have sounded like a jackass faking a Southern accent in church but she showed up and made the effort.
I think the combination of the dems doing the bare minimum and/or presuming the black vote is guaranteed and black people understanding their leadership is maintaining the status quo or corrupted is going to have lethal consequences.
People are starting to notice that the people who they trust to fight for them are starting to resemble the people they're fighting.
Specially when the rich corporate fat cat and the city councilman leave the meeting in the same model car.
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