Interesting post from History in another thread.

 

He said that blacks who voted for President Obama simply because of skin color or Catholics who support a candidate because he's Catholic are "idiots." Strong word but the theory is more important.

 

I read it as being so simple in your thinking that you use one factor you have in common to determine who you vote for.

 

Such as....straight ticket voters. Are they idiots?

 

I would argue that being black is not the sole reason many blacks voted for Mr Obama and I'd use Herman Cain as proof. He wasn't going to get a lot of the black vote. I'd argue it's a combination of being a Democrat as well as being black. Rev Al didn't win any primaries when he ran for the party nomination.

 

So, a few topics to discuss.

 

Have at it.

I would argue that being black is not the sole reason many blacks voted for Mr Obama and I'd use Herman Cain as proof. He wasn't going to get a lot of the black vote. I'd argue it's a combination of being a Democrat as well as being black. Rev Al didn't win any primaries when he ran for the party nomination.

 

I agree with the Obama/Cain/Sharpton thing. It's about two things and not just one. I wonder, for example, how much support Bill Clinton got from the black community in 1996 vs. how much Barack Obama will get in 2012. I feel like those numbers would be very similar.

 

As far as the straight ticket, my take is that if I've studied each race & have come to the conclusion that the GOP candidate is better in each one, then to save time, I'm going to click the "Straight Ticket" button. But if I don't know anything about a candidate & vote for him solely because of the initial after his name, then I think that is a poor decision. I'm not voting for a party, but rather for an individual.

I agree with the Obama/Cain/Sharpton thing. It's about two things and not just one. I wonder, for example, how much support Bill Clinton got from the black community in 1996 vs. how much Barack Obama will get in 2012. I feel like those numbers would be very similar.

 

As far as the straight ticket, my take is that if I've studied each race & have come to the conclusion that the GOP candidate is better in each one, then to save time, I'm going to click the "Straight Ticket" button. But if I don't know anything about a candidate & vote for him solely because of the initial after his name, then I think that is a poor decision. I'm not voting for a party, but rather for an individual.

 

Your version of "straight ticket" is not the one I was talking about. Many , Ds and Rs, say they simply vote straight ticket regardless of names attached. I'd argue that's more idiotic than black Ds voting for President Obama. Neither attribute by itself should be enough.

Your version of "straight ticket" is not the one I was talking about. Many , Ds and Rs, say they simply vote straight ticket regardless of names attached. I'd argue that's more idiotic than black Ds voting for President Obama. Neither attribute by itself should be enough.

 

I kind of figured that, but wanted to clarify why I might vote straight-ticket--i.e. not as an uninformed voter.

 

But I agree with what you are saying.

I think many of us vote off of generalities vs specifics for a particular candidate. Party is the major factor even though there are many differences between people within a party. So I'd argue that voting "black" is no different than voting "D" or "R."

So I'd argue that voting "black" is no different than voting "D" or "R."

 

It isn't IMO.

I think many of us vote off of generalities vs specifics for a particular candidate. Party is the major factor even though there are many differences between people within a party. So I'd argue that voting "black" is no different than voting "D" or "R."

 

I will say that I'm guilty of not getting down to as many specifics on some "lesser" races. But when it's the Oval Office, Senate, House, Governor & "bigger" races, I'm as informed as I can be. On some of those "lesser" races I've probably voted with less information, or just not voted at all.

It may not be popular, but I believe that many black people voted for President Obama primarily because he's black and will re-elect him for the same reason.

I think many of us vote off of generalities vs specifics for a particular candidate. Party is the major factor even though there are many differences between people within a party. So I'd argue that voting "black" is no different than voting "D" or "R."

 

I disagree slightly. I think there is a difference in voting for someone based on race vs. voting for someone based on party. In general, democrats and republicans each, as a group, have similar ideas on how our country should function. This is not true of a "race." The experience and ideas of one Hispanic woman might be very different than mine.

It may not be popular, but I believe that many black people voted for President Obama primarily because he's black and will re-elect him for the same reason.

 

Do you think that many didn't vote for him because he is black?

It may not be popular, but I believe that many black people voted for President Obama primarily because he's black and will re-elect him for the same reason.

 

As I said previously, I think you're leaving out the 2nd key factor - he was a D. It's not just one factor .

Do you think that many didn't vote for him because he is black?

 

Unfortunately, probably so.

I disagree slightly. I think there is a difference in voting for someone based on race vs. voting for someone based on party. In general, democrats and republicans each, as a group, have similar ideas on how our country should function. This is not true of a "race." The experience and ideas of one Hispanic woman might be very different than mine.

 

I'd argue that "in general" blacks have an idea of how the country should function and that a black man would help the cause - just like a D would help a cause for some or a R would help the cause for others. Your Hispanic example negates the "in general" point you made.

As I said previously, I think you're leaving out the 2nd key factor - he was a D. It's not just one factor .

 

I'm sure it was one of a few factors, but I think it was the 1st priority for many.

I think a lot of people - and probably all of us at least part of the time - cheer for our political side almost exactly the way we cheer for our favorite sports team. Considering that policy decisions actually affect us, that's a frightening prospect.