The Year of the Republican
By Mark Kilmer Posted in 2006 — Comments (11) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Is this the year of the black Republican? The question has been asked before, and the answer addressed here, but Dan Balz and Matthew Mosk ask it again in today's Washington Post.
"We've gone from a model of outreach to a model of inclusion," Mehlman said. "Outreach is a top-down approach. Inclusion says, 'Let's find some really good people and encourage them to run for office.' "
Republicans such as Mehlman say it will take more than one political cycle to change the habits of African American voters, and some Democrats say it will take more than a few attractive black Republican candidates to overcome GOP positions -- on affirmative action and other issues -- that many blacks view as anathema to their interests.
Allow yourselves no doubts: This is big. The paper quotes Columbus, Ohio Mayor Mike Coleman, an African American Democrat who almost ran for his State party's gubernatorial nomination:
(more…)
"It gives choices. And what that does is say to the Democratic Party, 'Put your money where your mouth is.' "
Michael Steele in Maryland, Ken Blackwell in Ohio, and Lynn Swann in Pennsylvania.
While small sections about Blackwell and Steele, there is a dearth of text on Swann.
Swann is a true political novice, albeit one with the star quality of a Hall of Fame wide receiver. …
Swann trails Rendell in the polls and has lost ground since entering the race earlier this year. …
Swann must overcome rookie mistakes that have plagued his campaign in the early months.
That's just the WashPost being the WashPost. The article does not really address the question asked in the headline -- The Year of the Black Republican? -- but the answer must be that it already is.
The Post piece quotes Swann's communications guru, Lenny Alcivar, comparing the Swann campaign to that of Steele, for which he had worked previously: "We don't have to shy away from being Republican in the way Michael does." That statement is about party demographics in Maryland vs. Pennsylvania, but it could be applied in a broader sense to African Americans in general. These candidates prove that it is not some nefarious bit of betrayal for an African American to be conservative and Republican.
That is big.
This is the year of the Republican.
(cross-posted at the SwannBlog)
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running for office this year include:
Keith Butler, U.S. Senate-Michigan
Randy Daniels, Governor-New York
Catherine Davis, Congress,GA-04 (Cynthia McKinney's seat)
Eric Dickerson, Congress, IN-07
Dr. Ada Fisher, Congress, NC-12
Yvonne Brown, Congress, MS-02
Dr. Deborah Honeycutt, GA-13
Eddie Adams, Congress, FL-11
Ron Miller, Congress, MD-05
Its a damn shame that a great conservative like Blackwell must try to make history in this election cycle, in Ohio. Had the RINO Taft not screwed things up so much, and were there not an anti-GOP mood this year, then Blackwell probably wouldn't be down by double-digits to his Dem opponent. As it is, he faces an uphill battle.
So Said the signs that the marchers carried during the protests for Civil Rights for Black Americans. You can see them from pictures of marches in Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, and at the Washington DC rally where King's "I have a Dream" speech was given.
They DIDN'T Say: I AM A BLACK MAN.
And none of them asked for handouts or subsidies. They wanted Self-Determination, not to live on the US Government's Welfare Plantation. They wanted to be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. I echo that sentiment. The Government, with Quotas, Affirmative Action, and other programs, do not.
Nice name. One of my best friends has a last name of Kaczmarcyk. Polish background. I never thought I'd come across a name close to it...
and I have been wondering why Republicans -- the party of Lincoln -- don't take King's 'character, not color' standard and wrap themselves in it. Stand on it, insist upon it, and reach out to those of all stripes who will be ready to live by it and not just feel happy it was said.
That would, I suspect, be a pretty big tent.
http://www.siumforcongress.com/pages/press_release.html
District 4 in minnesota. He's running against another African-American for the nomination actually, but Shepard seems more...eccentric.
Warning: Do not click if you don't like flashing things and lots of motion and video:
Is that if the Republican party would take a strong stand against illegal immigration, they could make even bigger inroads into Black voter-ship.
Every African American I have spoken to in the last year or so is adamantly opposed to further illegal immigration.
I had a diary on these three candidates back in January. The Washington Post is playing catch up with RedState!
Dr. Jack Shepard announces that he will seek the GOP nomination for the 4th Congressional District of Minnesota in the September 12, 2006 Primary Election. please visit www.shepardsugov.com
Dr. Jack Shepard's has been called; "an evangelist in the fight against global terrorism".
Dr. Jack Shepard says at this very critical time in our Nations History the next United States Congress urgently needs new Congressmen and Congresswomen with international experience especially whose with a very good first hand understanding of the Arab Countries in the Middle East.
Dr. Jack Shepard is on the record as saying that the only possible way to achieve a long lasting peace in the Middle East is necessary to win our war on Terrorism is through dialogue.
Dr. Jack Shepard, a self-described "Born-Again Republican" and Veteran American Service Officer.
For almost a quarter of a century Dr. Shepard has been based and working out of Rome, Italy as a Mideast Specialist.
Dr. Shepard hopes to be returning to his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota to run for the 4th Congressional District if he gets the support of the White House in his efforts to be the first Republican to win the 4th Congressional District in almost 60 years.
Dr. Shepard is just launching into the heart of his campaign; and "God Willing", says Shepard, the heart of his campaign will be the Arab World.
Dr. Shepard's campaign support to date has mainly come from the Hmong and Vietnamese communities in St. Paul.
They supported him after he promoted policies that would aid the Hmong refugees in the US and help to resettle the Hmong refugees in Thailand and Laos.
Dr. Shepard see his election to the US Congress as being urgently needed so he would be in a position to convince other US Congressman who do not really understand the urgency of fulfilling President Bush's vision of the states of Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace as the key to creating a democracy Iraq.
Dr. Shepard believes that Americans need to be informed about the Arab World. Dr. Shepard is seeking to strengthen his Arab ties and to promote Arab and Palestinian interests within the Bush Administration.
If elected, Dr. Shepard promises to go and do anything that the Bush Administration would ask of him to jump start the presently frozen Middle East Peace process. If elected he promises to relay the true needs of Arabs and Palestinians to the Bush Administration.
Dr. Shepard is seeking to hold a forum with top Arab leaders; by giving a voice to the Arab World. He hopes- as an impartial observer- to facilitate a neutral space where these leaders can safely explore what each can and would do to contribute to peace in Iraq and help with finally getting the Israeli's and Palestinians to the peace table, and do what it takes to have President Bush's Vision of the two states of Palestine and Israel living side by side in Peace as crowning accomplishment of the Bush Administration.
Dr. Shepard is on record as saying, "Until all the voices, values and priorities of all the Arab leaders are heard there will be no chance for resolving the pressing problems in the Mideast.
"My goal is to kick start major peace efforts with Arab Governments who deserve to be included in the decision-making. These leaders are close to the ground/people, very frustrated from having to watch things they do not like to see, and such, have many good ideas on how to fix things."
"These are brilliant minds that have been sidelined, he adds. "The world doesn't understand. Everybody thinks Arabs don't want peace; they want peace. They are dying for it. They want everybody to roll up their sleeves and get back to work. It is (the despair of) everybody doing nothing that is contributing to all the killing."
Dr. Shepard envisions a kind of expanded quartet (to address the peace process) includes Israel and Arab countries. Dr. Shepard says the forum will give an opportunity to the three major players
(Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran) to make a statement that will go right- via mass media- to the American voters, who can then make an informed decision regarding the snarl of questions the Mideast is increasingly raising. Dr. Shepard says Arab (and Muslim) leaders currently do not get that chance.
Dr. Shepard also says these are the countries we need the most to hear from, "These are the countries my government wants to have great relationship with but does not have a great relationship with." For years Dr. Shepard has gone out of his way to visit and meet many high level Government officials from these countries.
Aside from facilitating a critical dialogue, Dr. Shepard's emphasis is largely on economic reform. Dr. Shepard economic objectives for the Mideast include a Common Market- a Middle East Economic Union modelled on the European Economic Union. - Which would establish an economic free trade zone in a borderless Mideast. "Where in 5 years one could drive from Damascus to Jerusalem as easily as we can drive today from Berlin to Paris."
Dr. Shepard says in the past other leaders in the Congress have not been at liberty to promote Palestinian interests in Congress or Arab leader's voices; until President George W. Bush began to lead his vision of Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace "It was political suicide; now it is official American Government Policies. Dr. Shepard says President Bush should be getting even stronger support for his Middle East peace efforts from congress.
If elected to become the first republican Congressman from the 4th congressional District of Minnesota in almost 60 years; Dr. Shepard intends to lead an urgent effort to get a much greater involvement of the next US Congress in supporting President Bush's Middle East peace plans.
If elected Dr. Shepard is going to get out the on the Congressional Floor and say, "If we are ever going to have peace in the Middle East we are know approaching a point of it is now or never, so Let's do it, and do it NOW"
Dr. Shepard believes there is a place for him in Congress, " Post 9-11", Americans are seeking officials who know their way around the Middle East who can stress dialogue with the contacts that they have developed in the past years with the high level Government official in the Middle East counties. This is necessary if we are ever going to have peace in the Middle East. This is necessary to get Muslim countries to join us in our stabilization efforts in Iraq so our brave American Soldiers can come home; Mission accomplished."
Dr. Shepard as a "Compassionate Liberal Republican" is committed to equality and justice and says that he wants to get more diversity within the Republican Party. "The Republican party controls the White House, the Senate and the Congress. To be a protestor is a waste of precious time. Dr. Shepard says, "To really make a real difference a person must join the Republican Party and work through the system to get your views heard."
Dr. Shepard become a "Born Again Republican" a former lifelong Democrat he left the Democratic Party after encountering overt racism at the higher levels of the Democratic Party while being a Senior delegate from Democrats Aboard of Italy at the Global Democratic Convention and Regional Caucuses in 2000 held in Paris.
To Dr. Shepard's and all the Black Delegates shock not one Black Delegate was chosen from all the Democrats Aboard delegates from any country in the whole world except America to be a delegate for the Democratic National Convention in 2000 which was held in Los Angeles to nominate the Democratic Candidate for President.
Long-time political associate and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Country Project Officer Dr. Charles Rutledge says he supports Dr. Shepard wholeheartedly .Dr, Rutledge said; "Dr. Shepard has a fine reputation with most Middle East Ambassadors; high ranking officials at FAO, WFP and all other United Nations Agencies headquartered in Rome, Italy.
Most respect and trust him. The only problem Dr. Shepard has encountered is, "People have always listened to Jack because he's basically always right. The problem is, his ideas are a little too perfect for the world he's working in. Most important the Republican Party does need people like Jack because he has great ideas and the Republican Party needs the involvement of like minded people like Jack to carry them out."
Dr. Shepard is eagerly hoping to change his present position which he will not go into detail about but he says it's similar to being a goodwill ambassador for America without a portfolio, to becoming the most junior Congressman from Minnesota but with maybe more Middle East Experience then any other Congressman or Congresswoman now serving in Congress.
Dr. Shepard is confident that he understands the frustrations and suffering that goes on worldwide so very unnecessarily that he hopes to stimulate a spiritual awakening by convincing people to once again learn love their neighbors. Dr. Shepard recently said, "I care and work for others, so you think that to call people names, to hate people or to even kill people will help individual causes; these people have forgotten that one day they will be all judged by God." .
Many of you have let hate into our hearts. You use as justification where you were born and in what condition we are forced to live in. This hate has grown in your heart and now makes you think and say and do evil things.
I pray for you, that God opens your eyes and opens your ears and you remember that you are create by God and pray that he will makes you well and good. Again.
This you can do by treating others are equals, not hating others. You will be judged as you judge; you will be treated as you treat others please never forget this and we will maybe give our children a future better then it look now.
Too many of you show your hatred by name calling and hurting or even killing your neighbours; you know I am right.
Look at your life, what you do, where you are and where you wish to be.
You can only change that and help yourself by having a change of heart by start liking your neighbors, helping each other, begin to work together and live a normal life that GOD finds pleasing.
This begins by start to talking to your neighbours with normal language in a way that God would consider pleasing.
You must change to be a good person that Loves your neighbour, wishes to help your neighbor, do something's constructive with your life. Make the world a better place then you found it...
May God Bless you with Love, and cleanse you heart of the hate you developed I do not know why; but who ever got you so mad and so unhappy with life you have to forgive them and you will feel better.
You still can join others and doing and SAYING things that please God.
May God Bless you by opening your eyes and opening your ears so you can hear and do what God finds pleasing.
May God Bless America with Peace and Happiness
Dr. Jack Shepard
There is alot riding on the elections of Blackwell for Governor of Ohio, Steele for U.S. Senate, and Swann for Governor of PA. not only in the direction of this country , but for many displaced conservatives of color.
The GOP does not know what to do with us while the Democrats have disowned us. Some us of conservatives of color who do come out to support the GOP recieve death threats and even face family shame.
-lbjgal
from time to time, even among large demographic blocs.
A necessary, if not sufficient step is for one candidate to stand up and say, "It is no longer 1865, or even 1965. The government has done its job. We don't need handouts, we need only ourselves. I am not an African American, I am an American. I am not a black man, I am a man."
I will be much happier when we don't need to point to a candidate's color. Until then, it pleases the soul to see the picket lines of skin color crossed.