Depends on What the Definition of Work Is
by matt at 6:10 am on July 26th, 2004 in Bush Man Date, Depends on the Definition ofIn his speech to the Urban League last week, the President said:
Ours is a solid record of accomplishment. And that’s why I’ve come to talk about compassionate conservatism and what I envision for the future. I’m here for another reason. I’m here to ask for your vote. (Applause. {Ed. note: sounded more like hooting and hollering, but this transcript is from the White House.})
No, I know, I know, I know. The Republican party has got a lot of work to do. I understand that. (Laughter and applause.) You didn’t need to nod your head that hard, Jesse [Jackson]. (Laughter.)
To say that the Republican party has a lot of work to do brings new meaning to the word “understatement.” A marathon runner at the 13-mile mark has a lot of work to do. If the 2000 election was the starting line, rather than make it to the halfway point, the Republican party turned around and ran backwards as far and as fast as possible until the finish line was nothing but a blur in their collective memory.
Policies such as cutting Pell grants, accelerated economic stratification due to irresponsible tax cuts, decreased enforcement of pollution regulations which disproportionately affect inner cities, and a host of others can only be described as hostile to African Americans.
Bush can joke around all he wants, but he got 9% of the African American vote in the 2000 election, and stands to get less than that this time. The smart money says that African Americans learned from the last four years. How long will it take for everyone else to get it?