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Page 2 The Skanner February 24, 2016 Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now Bernie Foster Founder/Publisher Bobbie Dore Foster Executive Editor Jerry Foster Advertising Manager Christen McCurdy News Editor Patricia Irvin Graphic Designer Arashi Young Reporter Monica J. Foster Seattle Office Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2015 MERIT AWARDS WINNER The Skanner has received 20 NNPA awards since 1998 The Skanner Newspaper, es- tablished in October 1975, is a weekly publication, published every Wednesday by IMM Publi- cations Inc. 415 N. Killingsworth St. P.O. Box 5455 Portland, OR 97228 Telephone (503) 285-5555 Fax: (503) 285-2900 info@theskanner.com www.TheSkanner.com The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. ©2016 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission prohibited. Local News Pacific NW News World News Opinions Jobs, Bids Entertainment Community Calendar RSS feeds BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION #SkNews Opinion Does Any Presidential Candidate ‘Deserve’ the M ichelle Alexander, the brilliant author of The New Jim Crow, writes in The Nation that Hillary Clinton does not “de- serve” the Black vote. She makes a strong case. She reminds us that the Bill Clinton administration yield- ed a draconian crime bill and welfare “deform” (I call it “deform” instead of reform because the Clinton chang- es made a bad system worse) that demonized poor women. While Bill and Hillary Clin- ton are two different peo- ple, Alexander uses Hillary quotes to illustrate the ways she supported her husband’s policies. Alexander is right to say that Hillary does not deserve the Black vote. She declines to endorse Bernie Sanders, though, describing him as “the lesser of two evils.” To his credit, says Alexander, Sanders opposed welfare de- form and has been a far more vocal and aggressive critic of banks than Hillary. But Al- exander says he still doesn’t “get it” around issues of racial justice, and notes that both he and Hillary supported the Iraq war. I’m intrigued by the con- cept of “deserving” a vote. From my perspective, Bernie doesn’t deserve it, Hillary doesn’t deserve it — and none of the motley crew of Republi- can candidates deserve it. No Democrat or Republican has ever deserved the Black vote. The dictionary defines “de- serve” as, “to do something or Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist have or show qualities worthy of (reward or punishment).” To say someone “deserves” the Black vote suggests that someone is entitled to it or has a right to it. I don’t think any candidate has a right to the Black vote. Frankly, with the possible “ Labor, condemning the ways that Lani Guinier and Jocelyn Elders were abandoned by the Clintons, and balancing policy failures like welfare deform with some policy suc- cesses. On the other hand, Hil- lary Clinton’s standalone re- cord includes a sensitivity to diversity that Sanders lacks. As a Senator and as Secretary of State, she had staffs that were very inclusive, with sev- eral African American wom- en, in particular, serving in leadership roles in the State Department. Her record shows that, as No Democrat or Republican has ever deserved the Black vote exception of Lyndon Johnson in 1964 (after the passage of the Civil Rights Act) and Rev. Jesse Jackson (after his histo- ry of activism) I don’t think any Democrat (or Republi- can) ever has, for that matter. What has either Hillary or Bernie done to “deserve” the Black vote? No candidate should claim the sentimental right to the Black vote either, and I think in some ways that is what Hil- lary Clinton is attempting. As Alexander correctly points out in her article, some African Americans are al- most irrationally loyal to the Clintons. Many other African Americans, though, have a measured view of the Clinton years, celebrating historic ap- pointments, like that of Alex- is Herman as Secretary of President, she would contin- ue her commitment to diver- sity and that we might finally have a cabinet that “looks like America.” Does her commitment to diversity alone make her enti- tled to the Black vote? The Black vote should be earned, not bequeathed. But too many African Americans seem to think that voting is the most — not the least — they can do. We must vote for politicians based on their track record and also on their promises. But then we must hold them accountable so that they keep their promises. We didn’t do it with Clinton in 1996 when we voted for him even after welfare deform. We didn’t do it with Obama in 2012, when we voted for him after a disappointing first term. African Ameri- cans, like others, must make demands of those who hold public office, or they are free to ignore us. The challenge is that our two-party system too often fails to provide us with a sat- isfactory set of alternatives to the status quo. While I was disappointed with President Obama’s first term, I proba- bly would have cut my hand off before voting for Mitt Romney. Similarly, as disap- pointing as Clinton’s welfare deform was, another Clinton term was far preferable to a Bob Dole presidency. We too often are faced with imper- fect options, and with choos- ing the lesser of two evils. Alexander addresses the flaws of the two-party system in her article, and talks about a “revolutionary movement” of people who believe that hu- man rights and economic jus- tice are attainable goals. There won’t be a revolution- ary movement before Nov. 7, 2016. So who deserves the Black vote? The candidate who works hardest for it. The candidate who addresses the Black community most di- rectly and with the most rele- vance. The candidate who not only schedules very public meetings with Rev. Al Sharp- ton, but less-well covered meetings at a day care center, in a halfway house, in a hospi- tal. The Black vote should not be something a candidate deserves. It should be some- thing a candidate earns! Hillary and Bernie Re-Discover Black People O ne thing is for sure: Black folks are enjoying this latest political mat- ing dance with Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Sanders is discovering Black people in South Caroli- na and Georgia, and Clinton has reopened the “leading Blacks” vault to rediscover their loyalty and willingness to present her to the Black electorate one mo’ time, y’all. Sanders, after years with- out doing anything specific for the 1 percent Black pop- ulation of his home state -- much less for Black people in general -- has now discovered (or rediscovered) his love and concern for us. In the vast majority of cas- es it is really a case of Black people discovering Sanders, because most Blacks knew absolutely nothing about him prior to a few months ago, but for Ed Schultz and Black folks’ penchant for watching MSN- BC. Sanders started out by traipsing up to Harlem, cam- eras in tow of course, to sip tea with Sharpton at a Black restaurant. James Clingman NNPA Columnist Uncle Bernie then goes to MLK’s alma mater, More- house, and tells thousands of Black folks how much he loves them now and how much he will do for them—now. “ Black folks that Sanders has no street cred, because Lewis “never met him” back in the days of fire-hoses, dogs, and Billy clubs. (Maybe Lewis had a concussion back then and simply forgot.) Hillary then got members of the Black Cau- cus to endorse her, a monu- mental victory that will sure- ly bring home the ultimate victory. After all, we cast be- tween 93 and 95 percent of our precious votes for Barack in both elections, and he won. Meanwhile, Republicans have con- tinued their strategy of ignoring Black people It’s almost like he is wak- ing up from his five-decade “I marched with MLK” respite and discovering he cannot win without the Black vote. He is pulling out all the con- descending platitudes to get the Black vote, and Black folks are lovin’ it. Mama Hillary called on old standby, John Lewis, to tell Why not the same thing this year for Clinton? Meanwhile, Republicans have continued their strate- gy of ignoring Black people by saying absolutely nothing on our behalf or in support of issues that specifically per- tain to Black voters. But why should they? We are “all in” for the Dems. One practical question to ask candidates who are run- ning around our neighbor- hoods, churches, and college campuses seeking our votes: “How much campaign money have you spent with Black- owned media, i.e. newspa- pers, radio?” That’s just one of many acts of reciprocity and the bare minimum of what we should demand. If they do as the current POTUS did in 2012 — spend one-tenth of 1 percent with Black media — don’t sup- port them until they increase that amount, and then move on to the next demand. Stop allowing them to use and insult you, and stop slob- bering over this latest discov- ery process. Black people have been in this country since the show started. James Clingman is the na- tion’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. His latest book, Black Dollars Matter! Teach your dollars how to make more sense, is available on his web- site, Blackonomics.com.
