Paul Renner on So Much for So Little

Paul Renner, one of our readers and a Florida resident, emailed this piece to us. One minor error: President George W. Bush didn't appointed the first black National Security Adviser (now Dr. Condi Rice). Colin Powell was National Security Adviser in the late 1980s, under President Ronald Reagan.

For decades, nearly all African Americans have given their hard-won votes to the Democrat Party. Yet after those many votes and years of unquestioning loyalty, one could paraphrase Churchill to say: never in politics have so many, given so much, for so little.

Since no group has invested more votes in one party than African Americans have invested in the Democrat Party, it is only right to ask, “What has been the return on that investment?” In following the campaign closely, I do not hear a specific forward-looking agenda to promote progress for African Americans from Senator Kerry.

As they say, actions speak louder than words. You can look at the Kerry campaign, but you will not find significant numbers of minorities in top leadership positions. This is not a very good return on investment, considering that in the 2000 and 2002 elections, Democrats received around 90% of the African American vote. What about that 10% for President Bush? He has promoted progress by appointing more African Americans to positions of trust and influence than any other administration, Democrat or Republican. The list includes: Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condolezza Rice, Secretary of Education Rod Paige, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Alphonso Jackson. There are few more influential positions in the world than the Secretary of State and National Security Adviser of the United States. Commentator Juan Williams points out that “until the current administration, the most elite circle of advisors to the most powerful man in the world, the foreign policy apparatus, might as well have had a "Whites Only" sign on the door.” Not anymore. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser are first time appointments for African Americans and President Bush appointed them.

Here in Florida, President Bush nominated the first African American woman to become a federal district judge in the state. And then there is California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown. President Bush nominated her to the D.C. Circuit Court, a position that insiders know is often followed by an appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Such an appointment would be an historic first as well, but Democrats have filibustered to prevent Justice Brown’s confirmation, apparently preferring to block a qualified African American than give President Bush the chance to advance a qualified jurist today and perhaps to the U.S. Supreme Court in a second term.

Meanwhile, under President Bush, minority home ownership is at a record high, he has made an unprecedented commitment to fighting AIDS in Africa, and Secretary Powell and President Bush have challenged the UN to confront genocide against black Christians in the Sudan.

And Senator Kerry? No agenda, but plenty of name calling. While addressing the National Baptist Convention, he compared President Bush to one of the travelers who passed an injured man before the Good Samaritan arrived. Is this the same Senator Kerry who opposes President Bush’s faith-based initiative? We know that many of society’s ills are struggles of the spirit. For this reason, President Bush has proposed his “faith-based initiative.” It says, that in providing funding, government should not discriminate against church sponsored programs just because they share their faith, especially when the program is helping those in need.

Perhaps in this election, voters will consider their return on investment for decades of unquestioning loyalty to the Democrat party. Perhaps this year voters will reject the worn-out Democrat threat to either “vote against Bush or lose your rights” when President Bush happens to be the guy making history by appointing African Americans to the highest positions in the land. Not a bad return on investment for 10% of the vote. Maybe it is time to invest in President Bush, who under-promises but over-delivers.