Although much of the impetus for the Democratic Party’s winning control of the U.S. House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm election was the unpopularity of the Iraq war and public disenchantment with President Bush and the Republican scandals in a Congress their party has completely dominated since 1994, there will be some positive impact on national social and economic policy from the sea change in Congress.
Because the Democratic Party supports government social and economic policy that serves African-American self-interests better, African Americans have long felt a strong bond to Democrats. Republican initiatives seem not to take this into account when they seek inroads into the African-American community. Polls show that African Americans felt the most urgent problem was the economy and ranked health care and Social Security ahead of the war in Iraq and terrorism. Democrats have done little in these areas, but they have not been in power for more than a decade.
Support for this rationale is justified and can be seen in the plans of Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. Pelosi says that in her first 100 legislative hours she will “drain the swamp” by raising the minimum wage, pass all 9/11 Commission recommendations, cut the interest on student loans by half, negotiate lower drug prices on Medicare prescriptions, end subsidies for Big Oil and allow federal support of embryonic stem cell research. We can expect her to let most of Bush’s tax cuts that favor the rich expire and block any new effort to privatize Social Security.
Pelosi is a smart, tough, effective leader – she calls herself a “lioness in the jungle.” She has demonstrated great political skill in building a power base among her diverse caucus. She is determined and able to do it.
Importantly, she understands and has accepted the importance of acting on diversity and wants all groups represented in the decision-making process. She bypassed more senior challengers to appoint Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) as the first African-American woman to serve on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
Although the number of younger African Americans who register as Democrats has declined, they still vote for Democrats, even if they do not call themselves Democrats. While Democrats can not take these younger people for granted, there is another trend. Different to almost every other demographic group, more affluent African Americans are more likely to identify as Democrats than impoverished ones. Improving public education, economic well-being and social mobility and helping African Americans improve their economic status are the policies that drive African-American loyalty to Democrats. Moreover, Democratic government social and economic policies appeal to African Americans who themselves don’t make it up the income ladder.
As we press Democrats to capitalize better on the shift of power in Washington, we must not relent in organizing our community to strengthen and expand our political strength to press the party to advance our causes. Anyone who voted Democrat, white or black, can celebrate today that their vote was counted and change is on its way. Tomorrow, however, we must go back to work – together – and hold party leaders accountable for bringing to fruition the more inclusive, equitable and compassionate America we have been promised.