A huge percentage of American Voters never in a million years imagined that Donald J. Trump could win the Presidential Election...sadly we were wrong. Voter apathy (46 percent of eligible voters did not bother to show up), Russian hacking, Wikileaks, the FBI all playing a part in his surprising upset of Hillary Rodham Clinton. News shows, pundits and historians alike are all debating and discussing the reasons behind his big win, but the biggest reason he seems to have won is White Voters...more specifically White Male Voters. Trump spoke to them directly, Hillary Clinton did not. Sure some will disagree with this.
I am a liberal, supported Hillary Clinton throughout both the primary and general election, and am saddened at her loss moire than I care to admit. I support, for the most part, the liberal movement and all that implies, but I am not in complete lockstep with the liberal movement, nor the Democratic Party on all issues, and do not think we should or have to be. As a White Voter, a White Male Voter I have felt marginalized for to long.
I was reviewing some of my old writings from 2015, and found an article I wrote concerning the lack of attention given to White Voters that I am going to share here...in some ways feel as if it addresses the problem of ignoring our vote, in taking it for granted. Sharing the article because I do think we would have Hillary Clinton putting her cabinet together if she and the Democratic Party had actually taken some time to actually talk to and listen to the concerns of Hurting White Voters (not angry White Voters) during the Presidential Campaign.
Looking Back...Article Written in November of 2015
Compared to most, I am a bit of a news junkie, falling asleep, waking up to CNN each and every day, my television spending the better part of every 24 hour day on one news channel or another, my brain absorbing news as I go about my day. The big news item from now until November of 2016 is the circus we call the "Presidential Election".
From politicians to pundits, everyone of them seems interested in pandering to this special interest group or the other, is worried that they are not wooing enough Latinos (and Illegal Immigrants), Black POC (Black Lives Matter), or some other ethnic group that could STEER THE ELECTION their way. This kowtowing to special interest groups is all well, fine and dandy, but not when it comes at the expense of the largest (and most marginalized) voting block in America, "The White Voter".
From politicians to pundits, everyone of them seems interested in pandering to this special interest group or the other, is worried that they are not wooing enough Latinos (and Illegal Immigrants), Black POC (Black Lives Matter), or some other ethnic group that could STEER THE ELECTION their way. This kowtowing to special interest groups is all well, fine and dandy, but not when it comes at the expense of the largest (and most marginalized) voting block in America, "The White Voter".
Here's a clue...a full 72 percent of those who bothered to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election were lower/middle class white voters. Yet, we have been marginalized by both sides of the aisle, neither Republicans or Democrats giving us the time of day, spending no time out on the campaign trail addressing our needs, and our concerns. What makes us chopped liver, what gives these two political parties the right to simply IGNORE US, and more importantly, what do we need to do to have our issues placed on the table for discussion and redress?
Attention WHITE TOAST VOTERS...let's first and foremost stop showing so much PARTY UNITY...we are split down the middle on a small handful of issues, almost always vote along party lines and this allows politicians to ignore us, instead spending all their time courting various and assorted pockets of minority voters of various and assorted interest groups and nationalities, seeing them as the groups that will give them their margin of victory.
There is something wrong with the system when politicians spend so much political capital talking too and about illegal immigrants (criminals according to the law) in the hopes of winning a larger percentage of the Hispanic vote, and no time addressing the concerns of 72 percent of the voting electorate. Latino's in the 2012 election represented ten percent of those voting in the election, while white voters represented 72 percent of those who voted in the election...yet, WHERE IS OUR VOICE? "Black Lives Matter", but guess what, so do white lives, and where is Hillary Rodham Clinton when it comes to speaking to and specifically addressing the concerns of this very large white voting block? Women are talked to of all colors, same with the LGBT, Black and Muslim communities, but rarely if ever does she speak to white men directly about their hurts and pains.
There is something wrong with the system when politicians spend so much political capital talking too and about illegal immigrants (criminals according to the law) in the hopes of winning a larger percentage of the Hispanic vote, and no time addressing the concerns of 72 percent of the voting electorate. Latino's in the 2012 election represented ten percent of those voting in the election, while white voters represented 72 percent of those who voted in the election...yet, WHERE IS OUR VOICE? "Black Lives Matter", but guess what, so do white lives, and where is Hillary Rodham Clinton when it comes to speaking to and specifically addressing the concerns of this very large white voting block? Women are talked to of all colors, same with the LGBT, Black and Muslim communities, but rarely if ever does she speak to white men directly about their hurts and pains.
As White Voters we can only blame ourselves, have marginalized our voting block by being party faithfuls split down the middle, half of us siding with Republicans, the other half siding with Democrats while both parties take our votes for granted. Let's put our rubber-stamp votes away, become a block of issues-centric voters united across party lines for candidates that represent and address our needs and our concerns. I am all for equal rights, support some form of Immigration Reform, pro Marriage Equality, support Black Lives Matter, gun ho for Gay Rights, Women's Rights, but am also really tired of feeling marginalized, even demonized as a White Male Voter. When and where do we get spoken to about our concerns?
Lets become confrontational, lets demand that our voices be heard for a change...the sometimes militant actions of the "Black Lives Matter" movement have gotten them two private meetings with Hillary Clinton, and a promise from her that their concerns will be a part of her concerns as she maps out her plan for a "Greater America" and kudos for them. Illegal Immigrants and their supporters have both sides of the aisle sitting on their hands refusing to enforce our current laws out of fear that they might lose some of their share of that ten percent of the voting pie....HELLO....we marginalized white voters represent 72 percent of the ENTIRE VOTING PIE...how about asking us what we want, and plugging our issues into your plan for the future? Of that 72 percent, half of them (women) are being included by one candidate, but what about that other half, the 35-36 percent of voters who are White Men...other than Donald Trump, no one is speaking to us, and I could never vote for that man.
Lets become confrontational, lets demand that our voices be heard for a change...the sometimes militant actions of the "Black Lives Matter" movement have gotten them two private meetings with Hillary Clinton, and a promise from her that their concerns will be a part of her concerns as she maps out her plan for a "Greater America" and kudos for them. Illegal Immigrants and their supporters have both sides of the aisle sitting on their hands refusing to enforce our current laws out of fear that they might lose some of their share of that ten percent of the voting pie....HELLO....we marginalized white voters represent 72 percent of the ENTIRE VOTING PIE...how about asking us what we want, and plugging our issues into your plan for the future? Of that 72 percent, half of them (women) are being included by one candidate, but what about that other half, the 35-36 percent of voters who are White Men...other than Donald Trump, no one is speaking to us, and I could never vote for that man.
As long as we "White Voters" continue our history of voting along party lines, we will be marginalized, not just during the elections, but in our day to day lives.
Affirmative Action...lets change that program around a bit. Perhaps instead of Affirmative Action being a program that gives a hand up to people based on their ethnicity or sexual orientation, it should be a program that lends people a helping hand up the ladder based on their economic needs. Does not a poor white child face the same obstacles to a better life as a poor Black or Hispanic child does? Shouldn't they get those same advantages being doled out to people of color or a particular sexual orientation instead of being denied based upon the color of their skin? Like it or not, reverse discrimination does exist.
Amnesty for those who are in America illegally...FORGET ABOUT IT unless we address as part of immigration reform helping those who have been hurt my illegal immigration. Like it or not, every illegal immigrant is a criminal, has broken our laws as they exist at this moment in time. Furthermore, every illegal immigrant in our work force has contributed to lowering of the wage base of the American Worker, has taken a job away from an American. BASIC FACT....a company has to get the work done, and if there is not an illegal immigrant standing at the door offering to work on the cheap, the employer will raise wages to a level that provides him with the legal employees he/she needs to get the work done and keep the doors of their business open. Immigration Reform MUST START WITH ENFORCEMENT, not AMNESTY!
Urban Renewal...how about some RURAL RENEWAL! What, too many white folks living in Rural America? Poor people (a lot of them White) live in Rural America, in the Midwestern rust belt are doing just as badly as the poor in Urban America's large population centers, but too often are forgotten about. Let's life up and provide a living wage to ALL AMERICANS, lets life everyone up the ladder to economic stability and security.
Affirmative Action...lets change that program around a bit. Perhaps instead of Affirmative Action being a program that gives a hand up to people based on their ethnicity or sexual orientation, it should be a program that lends people a helping hand up the ladder based on their economic needs. Does not a poor white child face the same obstacles to a better life as a poor Black or Hispanic child does? Shouldn't they get those same advantages being doled out to people of color or a particular sexual orientation instead of being denied based upon the color of their skin? Like it or not, reverse discrimination does exist.
Amnesty for those who are in America illegally...FORGET ABOUT IT unless we address as part of immigration reform helping those who have been hurt my illegal immigration. Like it or not, every illegal immigrant is a criminal, has broken our laws as they exist at this moment in time. Furthermore, every illegal immigrant in our work force has contributed to lowering of the wage base of the American Worker, has taken a job away from an American. BASIC FACT....a company has to get the work done, and if there is not an illegal immigrant standing at the door offering to work on the cheap, the employer will raise wages to a level that provides him with the legal employees he/she needs to get the work done and keep the doors of their business open. Immigration Reform MUST START WITH ENFORCEMENT, not AMNESTY!
Urban Renewal...how about some RURAL RENEWAL! What, too many white folks living in Rural America? Poor people (a lot of them White) live in Rural America, in the Midwestern rust belt are doing just as badly as the poor in Urban America's large population centers, but too often are forgotten about. Let's life up and provide a living wage to ALL AMERICANS, lets life everyone up the ladder to economic stability and security.
It may offend some in the "Black Lives Matter" movement, but all lives matter, and that does include the 72 percent of voters who are white. Curious, and be honest...how many in the "Black Lives Matter" movement have gotten upset at politicians who have stated all lives matter, and how many of you would be livid if there were suddenly a large social/political movement on the national stage who's stated name and purpose was "White Lives Matter". Isn't that more than a bit hypocritical? Why does everything have to be so divided along color lines, when people suffering, hurting all deserve a hand up? Black Lives do matter, and the group has focused attention on a VERY REAL MATTER, and deserve credit for that, and I applaud and support their movement...but I also wish to damn hell that we Whites and Blacks who are struggling, having a hard time holding onto the bottom rung of the economic ladder could figure out a way to get on the same team, and on the same game page. Can't we find a way to work together, to put pressure on the Uber Rich who are oppressing ALL OF US?
In the CNN debate tonight, I would like to see politicians answer one question:
"The costs of taking care of illegal immigrants and their anchor babies (ugly term) runs into the tens of billions of dollars each and every year. If elected president, would you be willing to sign an immigrants and their offspring if it meant you could forgive the college loans of every single Legal American Citizen?"
I believe we need Immigration reform, but lets work from a position of TRUTH ON THE MATTER. Illegal Immigrants did broke the law, and some Americans were hurt as a result of their actions in working illegally in American. Let's provide a pathway to citizenship, but do it in a way where those hurt by Illegal Immigration are made whole in the process. Anything short of a solution that makes those hurt whole, while also providing a pathway is, in my mind an unacceptable untenable solution that must be opposed.
Think about it Republicans and Democrats...do you want to be doling out goodies to illegal immigrants and their children that are paid for with citizen tax dollars, or instead would you like to see the Federal Government forgive every single college loan on the books? What positive changes would occur in voters and voters family's lives if they were suddenly free of that college debt?
As a voter of any color, regardless of your party affiliation, would you be willing to vote for a candidate that was willing to implement this one singular action on the first day of their presidency through an executive order if it could be done, if it freed you and your children up from tens of thousands in college loans? Not meaning here to pick on those who came here illegally, they are doing what they can to take care of their own families...in fact, I blame government, and big business....if law enforcement were coming down hard on the employers, this issue would not even be on the radar, and the Immigration Reform issues would have been solved long ago. In the name of CHEAP WAGES, law enforcement has given employers a FREE PASS when it comes to hiring Illegal Immigrants.
As a voter of any color, regardless of your party affiliation, would you be willing to vote for a candidate that was willing to implement this one singular action on the first day of their presidency through an executive order if it could be done, if it freed you and your children up from tens of thousands in college loans? Not meaning here to pick on those who came here illegally, they are doing what they can to take care of their own families...in fact, I blame government, and big business....if law enforcement were coming down hard on the employers, this issue would not even be on the radar, and the Immigration Reform issues would have been solved long ago. In the name of CHEAP WAGES, law enforcement has given employers a FREE PASS when it comes to hiring Illegal Immigrants.
This is a call to action....stop allowing politicians to marginalize the largest voting block in America! Become a issue focused white voter today and abandon your single party loyalties. Maybe if we do that, it will be a step to seeing voters Unite along economic lines, instead of dividing along ethnic, religious, sex/sexual orientation lines, and in that we then can turn our attention to the politicians and demand accountability, and laws that make America work for ALL CITIZENS, instead of just the few in the top ten percent, the UBER RICH who are oppressing us all.
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