Political Focus: Race relations and the Trump presidency
President Donald Trump’s election win has come with concern from many different communities fearing for their safety and rights. Political Focus has examined the concerns of many immigrants and members of the LGBT community in articles since the election.
Inauguration Day has come and gone, and the nation has said goodbye to its first African-American president and sworn in its 45th, whose campaign was littered with controversial statements surrounding the racial tension that exists in the U.S.
Many civil rights groups are now in fear of what’s to come. This week’s Political Focus will address the legitimacy of some of the many concerns surrounding race relations and the Trump presidency.
Trump’s racist history
The Hillary Clinton campaign hit Trump hard with historical evidence of Trump’s racial discrimination. It pointed to a racial discrimination lawsuit in 1973 against Trump’s real estate company. The lawsuit was based on evidence that “black people were told no apartments were available in Trump properties,” while white people “were immediately offered apartments” during the same timeframe.
Trump’s response to this during the first presidential debate was not much more than to say the suit was settled “with no admission of guilt” and that this was a lawsuit commonly brought against real estate companies at that time.
Another anger-inducing fact dug up from Trump’s past were his claims, dating back to 2011, that then-President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. This claim, made with no basis in reality and with no presentation of evidence, seemed to many like an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the country’s first African-American president.
Racially ignorant comments on the campaign trail
In an attempt to appeal to more black voters, Trump said the following at a rally in Dimondale, Michigan:
“Look at how much African-American communities are suffering from Democratic control. To those, I say the following: What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump? What do you have to lose? You live in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?”
There are a couple of things to note. First, at the time, the official unemployment rate for black youths aged 16-19 was 25.2 percent, not 58 percent, according to USA Today.
Second, many people viewed this statement as painting with a broad brush to assume this is the situation for all black voters and that they had no other option than to vote for Trump.
The 8 percent he did convince
Trump did secure the vote of 8 percent of black voters on Election Day. This is relatively average for Republican candidates. Romney had 6 percent in 2012, but according the PEW Research Center, Republicans tend to receive an average of 8-12 percent of black votes.
So, how did Trump convince 8 percent to vote for him among all of these racism concerns?
Lydia O’Neal of the International Business Times explained, “conservative black voters across the U.S. pointed to the sluggish economic recovery and immigration-friendly policies under the Obama administration as a driver in their support for Trump.”
In his campaign, Trump said he intends to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., create a childcare tax deduction for the working middle class and expand city law enforcement.
These policies are seen to conservative black voters as better ways to combat the issues concerning African-Americans than those put forth by President Obama or Hillary Clinton.
The 8 percent saw the benefits that could come from the implementation of these policies as greater concerns than any of the aforementioned issues of racial discrimination and ignorance.
Looking to the future
A big concern going forward is that the presidential victory of an arguably racist man legitimizes white-supremacist views that have resulted in the loss of so many innocent lives.
A victory party for Trump thrown by the Ku Klux Klan made many people nervous, as well as a series of racist graffiti that appeared across the country upon Trump’s win. Trump has dismissed the graffiti and the KKK, calling their efforts “repulsive.”
In regard to Trump’s policies, the country anxiously waits to see which of his campaign promises will become reality.
In addition to that, will the policies that he’s able to implement bring more benefits to the black community than those put forth by past Democrats?
As black conservative activist Johms Gool told the International Business Times, “If Donald Trump delivers what he promised, he will flip the black vote. If he does not, he’ll lose the 8 percent he got.”
Todd Elliott Koger • Jan 25, 2017 at 8:09 AM
According to published reports President Donald Trump’s National Diversity Coalition, led by white attorney Michael Cohen and Pastor Darrell Scott hosted the Amer-I-Can Inauguration Party at the offices of a K-Street law firm. 35 people paid $2,500 and approximately another 150 paid $1,000 to attend. Attorney Cohen and Pastor Scott pledged National Diversity Coalition financial support for legendary athlete Jim Brown’s Amer-I-Can foundation. The most recent available nonprofit tax form (2014 records) for Amer-I-Can demonstrates expenditures of $271,553, including $138,634 in salaries and $129,332 in expenses. However, Jim Brown and his wife are said to be the only listed employees. Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer outlined President Trump’s plan to curb violence and empower black communities. According to Cohen, President Trump intends to support mentoring and promote self-determination primarily through Brown’s Amer-I-Can foundation. Cohen also would not say how much money the Trump administration intends to put into the Amer-I-Can foundation, though he promised the nonprofit would see some investment.
https://theundefeated.com/features/jim-brown-tells-black-america-yes-you-can/
https://www.bostonglobe.com/…/u8sDBdTnrWH7Oo…/story.html
In his Twitter profile Scott referred to himself as Dr. Darrell Scott. President Donald Trump has also referred to Scott as “Dr. Darrell Scott.” In his church bio Scott’s says: “Already a 21st Century Theologian and Scholar in his own right, Dr. Darrell went on to receive his Doctorate of Divinity in November of 2004.” That is, his bio is worded in a way that creates the impression that he earned the degree. To use the title “Dr.” is inappropriate and misleading since the degree was not earned. Compounding the problem is the questionable status of the college. St. Thomas Christian University is not accredited by any Department of Education or Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognized accrediting body. St. Thomas is currently unlicensed in the state of Florida. Mr. Scott appears to be using his degree from an unaccredited school to create an impression that he earned a doctorate.
http://www.patheos.com/…/trump-transition-team-member…/
Todd Elliott Koger • Jan 25, 2017 at 8:09 AM
The Untold Story: How Donald Trump Really Won?
75 percent of America’s high-poverty neighborhoods in 1970 still classified that way four decades later. Racial and class inequality is very much alive, “progressive politics” apartheid. Blacks who have voted Democratic for almost 50 years are now being driven from their neighborhoods that have been their home for generations. We gave the Democratic Party our votes and they “took us for granted” leaving us living with social tension, unrest, and the worst GUN VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT CRIME . . . A diminished hope and no opportunities while the Democratic Party’s upscale hipster real estate speculators prosper.
President-Elect Donald Trump wants to enable states with dedicated grants and implementation standards related to diversity, inclusion, and targeted hiring the resources necessary to spur investment in underserved black neighborhoods. Stopping gun violence, revitalizing education, creating jobs, replacing substandard housing, and strengthening black families is a mandate we secured for him.
That is, Mr. Trump owes his victory to “predominately black Democratic strongholds” who were convinced to give him more votes than the previous Republican candidates. African Americans convinced hundreds of thousands blacks to “boycott” the vote and/or voting “straight” Democrat. All across America the black vote “boycott” masterminded by Todd Elliott Koger effectuated an insurmountable obstruction for Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. There is correspondence to the Trump campaign that outlined “Koger’s Plan.” There was a “Thank You for the suggestion” reply. And, President-Elect Donald Trump’s verbatim use of Mr. Koger’s exact same words during “online videos” and speeches that followed in Michigan, Milwaukee (Wisconsin) and Pennsylvania.
Todd Elliott Koger • Jan 25, 2017 at 8:10 AM
Todd Elliott Koger’s writings at one point specifically advised that the “Koger Plan” to target the black vote will changed the destructive conversation and slip in the polls that the “verbal fight” with Khizr Khan, a slain U.S. soldier’s father had caused in late August 2016.
When the Trump campaign started to collapse in October 2016, and everyone started to run away . . . Mr. Koger suggested the “need for a new writing” to change the conversation again. He suggested that the campaign needed to move away from the “hot mic incident.” Todd Elliott Koger’s correspondence suggested a “Treaty with Black America.” There’s another “thank you” from the campaign. And, Mr. Trump almost immediately announced a “Contract with the American Voter” and a “New Deal for Black America.”
Maybe this is just a remarkable concurrence of events. Maybe Mr. Koger’s packaging of Mr. Trump’s visual optics and his efforts to communicate implementation of the ” Koger Plan” had no apparent connection. Maybe it was just “serendipity” in North and West Philadelphia (Eastern Pennsylvania) and Penn Hills, Allegheny County (Western Pennsylvania) where turnout fell 10 percent in the majority-black wards. Happenstance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (District 15), where turnout was down 19.5 percent. Apparent “fluke” in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, where 75,000 “Motown Voters” decided to stay home. One thing for sure, Todd Elliott Koger’s correspondence kept reiterating that “Mr. Trump’s only path to victory” was the “black vote.” Cities like Boston, Massachusetts’ “predominately black” wards had their greatest decline in voter turnout this century. And, just 50,000 votes in three states, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin decided the election.
Todd Elliott Koger • Jan 25, 2017 at 8:10 AM
The “PLAN” was conceived: Convince hundreds of thousands blacks to “boycott” the vote and/or voting “straight” Democrat.
The “STRATEGY” was organized: Find every conceivable email address, mailing lists, newsgroup, on-line discussion, black organization, local activists, and the like, and send them an endless repetition of talking points.
Mr. Koger’s “MESSAGE”: 50 Years of failed Democratic inner cities.
The National Diversity Coalition for Trump did finally send a “Thank You.” But Todd Elliott Koger and his wife didn’t even get tickets for the Trump inauguration, its events, nor any job offers . . . .