Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Oct. 15, 1992, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Forum Is Clinton's Stategy Color Blind The day after Ross Perot made it a three way race, a USA Today/CNN/Gallup tracking poll showed Bill Clinton opening a 17-point lead over George Bush. A week before, several publications reported Clinton (44%) 12 points ahead ? but in a statistical tic with Bush (43%) among Whites. Blacks accounted for almost all of Clinton's national lead, the survey indicated. And Clinton succeeded in doing that by wooing Whites and staying away from Blacks, other than a media-visible visit recently to the victory as a vehicle to enrich themselves. During the Congressional Black Caucus activities, about 2,090 blacks handed over more than $600,000 to the Arkansas governor. Each, according to writers Jacqueline Trescott and Mary Ann French in the Post, anted up $10,000 or more. I can't think of a single Black self-help effort to rebuild the Black community that could move 2(X) Blacks to donate $600,000! Amidst all of this hypocritical grandeur was talk of using economic power to help our TONY BROWN Syndicate^ Columnist selves. One must ask some of these Black investors, who it is we are to help? Or is it just another hustle at the expense of the poor and disad vantaged Blacks? If it is, why Congressional Black Caucus' annual festivi ties. Jesse Jackson has protested CI intones" stay-away-from-Blacks strategy, but it has been hailed by Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta, who now has a reputation in the Black caucus of not being a team player in matters of Black unity. Lewis said that Black critics who agree with Jesse Jackson expect Clinton "to cater to and pander to every segment of the Democrat ic Party, and that's the mistake we've made in > the past." According to The Washington Post, Lewis said the issues of the campaign "tend , to transcend race." In other words, Lewis wants a colorblind , Black community not to seek special treatment during the "year of the woman," union conces sion, farmer subsidies, defense contracts for Connecticut and Texas, entitlement bloc pro tection for social security recipients and a political payoff for any voter bloc. Lewis proposed that Blacks, who cast over 25% of all Democratic votes, should stay out of the way, lest their presence offend Whites, and let Clinton do his good 4ol boy, - aw-shucks act and win. Then ? maybe ? he'll mention their needs after he's elected, if they fit the colorblind agenda. Other well-connected, upper-class Blacks - like Lewis approve of Clinton's Whites-only strategy also because they, see, his potential do we need Black politicians? White ones would do just as well. And since John Lewises such an integra tionist and does not see race as being an important issue in a racist society in which race is the sub-text for political issues, why does he seek Black votes by portraying him self as a leader of Black causes? Why doesn't Lewis limit himself to issues such as the environment, health care and deficit reduction. While he's at his generic agenda, he might tell Clinton that his propos als to fire 150,000 middle-management gov ernment workers will devastate the Black mid dle class. And Clinton's proposal to require small businesses to provide health care coverage to their* workers by imposing a 7% to 9% payroll tax on unincorporated employers will drive most Black entrepreneurs into bankruptcy and lose scores of jobs for Blacks. To Jesse Jackson's everlasting credit, althbugh he's using a $1.4 million Democratic Party budget to register Blacks to vote, during his speeches he docs not ask Blacks4o vote for Clinton. Jackson knows that Clinton has insulted Blacks and used the natural animosities between the two men to demonstrate to Whites that he can control Blacks. Can John Lewis call Bill Clinton's Whites-only strategy colorblind? Perry Phenomenon Sad Commentary H. Ross Perot can afford to be wishy washy. The Texas billionaire who is now offi cially a candidate for U.S. president, is run ning for a position he does not want. Then why is he a candidate? Because he represents the "none of the above" many vot ers want on the November ballot. To many Americans, neither George Bush nor Bill Clinton offers anything of substance. They "I'm used to calling the shots and giving orders," he said during a television interview during the height of the call for him to enter the race. "That's the only way I can function. I don't have the patience for politics." Neither does Ross Perot. He, as Iacocca, would make a lousy pres ident. We must view the Perot phenomenon for what it is: a symptom of a nation that has Mems attract GRAIN WILSON its best lead o lead it. George Bush demonstrated > bad he is. Clinton is the of the worst Democrats ! to offer, and * wiut has demon AGAINST THE want another choice, and Perot's ability to waltz in and out of the race for the highest office in the land is a symptom of the despera tion many Americans have for some sem blance of administrative competence. Perot will be little more than a filthy-rich political footnote after the polls close yn Nov. 3, but the fact that his childish, seemingly impulsive and impetuous antics can draw so "? much world attention gives cause for concern. Through a much cruder version, the Perot k . phenomenon is similar to the Lee Iacocca phenomenon a few years ago after Iacocca turned Chrysler Corporation's sinking finan cial ship into a profitable luxury liner. Americans began to dream that that kind of efficient management is what this country * needs to rid itself of its obscene deficit and return to the creditor nation it once was. Iacocca declined calls for him to run for ? - president, saying he could not function in a - , political setting. strated the ability to do nothing but make money. To say these three men are the best we have to offer as our leaders is a sad commen tary on the state of politics in this nation. We have allowed the science to degener ate into a field where true servants choose not to serve for fear of being asphyxiated by the stench of special interests, corruption, person al gain and incompetence ? or any combina tion thereof. Many honest and decent prospects who would make our political system work for the good of all America opt out because they are in such small minority that they simply would spend their time in office being frustrated by the current state of the system. Perot should be a great reminder to all of us how desperate we are for good, strong leadership. ...And until we get it, any billionaire can buy our fantasy and further contaminate our Vote Tuesday, November 3 MR.PEROT, AU7T OF YOUR SUPPORTERS AR3 PISTRES6EP&Y THE 6ROCU/N6 EVIPENC5 OF \ YOUR0/GOTRY... MY Bf6CTRYT THATS CRAZY f MINNIE MOUSe COLESLAW/ BONKBRS! PRESS MYTH NO. v 1,173! THEN WHY DIP YOU TRY TO KEEP YOUR PW6HTER FROM MARRY/A# A JEW, FffVRTEP IY SAYING, " YOU NBEP TO HAVE YOUR CHILDREN LOOK UK? YOU "? I MEAN, I F/NP U/HY? BECAUSE . Of MY EARS7 MUST BE THAT S LOU/' I'M IN THE ARE YOU A - MEOlA Clip and Mall Send your check or money order to: Subscription Dept. Winston -Salem Cbroniclc P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, N. C. 27102-1636 - Name 1 yaar plus Kwanzaa Book -J26.90 AM Mm fcr MN*| MMa OH), H C This season be prepared! This book is the most popular of all the Kwanzaa books according of special occasions. Supply is limited. So act NOW! Address (City, State) Zip i Phone ( ) _ Compiota Kwanzaa aata avaftabto at Special Occasion* Books tors. 1 12 Martin Luther King Ortva. (919) 724-0324 Special Kwanzaa Offer for a limited time only, you can & get a one year subscription to the Chronicle (regular price $30.72) and the revised edition of Kwanzaa - everything you always wanted to know . . . for only $26.90 / >
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 15, 1992, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75