African American
Related: About this forumRand Paul courts the Black vote.
DETROIT — The GOP field office on Livernois Avenue is a squat, brick building with a grillwork of bars on its windows. The outpost in the predominantly Democratic, African-American neighborhood is a place where prominent Republicans don’t often venture.
Rand Paul seems right at home.
The first thing he does when he walks in is to break up the rows of chairs assembled in front of a podium.
“I think we can get a better conversation if we’re all sitting and we’re all in a big circle rather than at a podium. I think it sort of lends to a better atmosphere,” he tells the small crowd, which is roughly half African-American and half Caucasian.
Paul, the junior Republican senator from Kentucky, has held other informal discussions with voters in mostly African-American communities throughout the year.
“I just had a meeting like this in Atlanta last week and before in Ferguson,” he noted, referring to the St. Louis suburb rocked by riots this summer after a white police officer shot an unarmed black teenager.
He’s also had meetings in Chicago and the west end of Louisville, where Cassius Clay was raised. He held another one in Detroit in December, when he also spoke to the Detroit Economic Club. This one, in Detroit’s Sherwood Forest, was the first open to the press, according to an aide.
Instead of shooting out policy proposals from behind a lectern, Paul sets up the meetings as listening sessions — just what Hillary Clinton did in upstate New York when she ran for Senate in 2000. At the time, Democrats saw the state as enemy territory.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/222533-rand-paul-courts-the-black-vote
I am starting to think that his strategy is not so stupid at all. With the Koch 's giving to UNCF and opening outreach centers on campuses, and Rand working on the police state and sentencing, he may have a shot at pulling a percentage of the Black vote away from a Democratic candidate. He also hates Voter ID and the Drug War, which he says targets Black men. No one in our party that is planning to run for president is doing a reach out tour to minorities. He also plans to reach out to Millennials more and is trying to work with black leaders in minority heavy communities. I believe he plans the same with hispanics. Watch Rand Paul. He's up to a lot right now and most of it is stuff we should be doing.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)Posted in the African American Group
And at DU yesterday a long time member lumped minority, GLBT, and women's issues in we're their concept of "third way" Dems. This is someone who I have the perception as focused on either a Warren or Sanders candidacy.
Wouldn't that be funny if the black voted for the guy who had Klansman running his stuff - because he is speaking prosperity AND anti voter ID/Drug laws?
I'm giving this a rec because it is an interesting scenario.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)He's already writing policy up and working on getting Republican support. Their old, loud racists will shut up if it gets them votes.
The man is doing too much listening to black folks and going to their neighborhoods and asking them what they want. It's too much. My cousin asked me about Rand Paul. He likes him.
Black folks have been dealing with racists since day one in America. If a racist wants to keep you out of jail to save himself money and so he can smoke weed... All you care about is staying out of jail and getting your people out of jail. People over principles is how real people live.
Number23
(24,544 posts)It won't last. And we should all be thankful for that.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)And way quieter.
I want us to be doing the things he talks about.
randys1
(16,286 posts)So he says a lot of the right things about voter ID and the twisted legal system that imprisons Black people so they are out of the way and not voting, but he is still a terrible person.
He reminds me of what the plantation and slave owner would do with the slaves he liked, he might have even been a slave owner who sought to reform the system somewhat so they had a better life, but he would still own slaves, bet on it.
We see what happens when the bastards strike down voting rights, and remember that if this prick gets his way there will be no government anything for anybody other than his buddies.
Yes, we should as liberals stand up for the stuff he is talking about, but not because he is talking about it but because it is what we are suppose to do.
He wants the vote of the youth to become president and that scares the living shit out of me.
Number23
(24,544 posts)The paranoia bus stops in GD on a regular basis at the best of times but lately, it's been fucking PARKED there.
There are people that see the bloody carnage that was the ACA bill passage, which barely passed and has been under assault since, and think to themselves: "this country would be a left wing haven if only it weren't for the THIRD WAY!!1 Kucinich would be our president right now if only the THIRD WAY hadn't blocked him!11"
And I envision the Third Way as some sort of combination between Huggy Bear and Satan, complete with platform shoes and fangs, sucking at the life blood of the pure and noble "liberals" who would rule the world if only this group that hardly anyone has ever heard of didn't exist!! 
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I particularly liked this exchange:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5790156
And think this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5790098
Is a perfect summation!
And, note the response to this:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5790315
Which proves the preceding points.
Number23
(24,544 posts)And oh, God, the one that LostinAnom and ucrdem are talking too. Ah jeez, there aren't enough 
in the world.
I found an article on the Third Way that certainly paints them in the bad light. http://www.thenation.com/blog/177437/gop-donors-and-k-street-fuel-third-ways-advice-democratic-party
They don't seem to be any friend to the Democratic Party. But considering that the vast majority of the folks running around DU and screaming about them the loudest aren't either, I can't really bring myself to proclaim them the source of all evil just yet.
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)And it's funny what segments are included.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)While I'm sure his main purpose is to figure out which words and phrases are best for pandering to these groups, he's still publicly saying "I'm listening to you".
And dude is writing policy based on what they say is the problem. We all know he just wants legal drugs and can't stand government, but it doesn't matter. He IS listening and taking it all in.
What he's saying sounds good, he actually believes in ending the drug war and police state, he knows it targets black men, and he wants to end it. And he doesn't want to pay to keep druggies in jail. Aqua Buddha?
Yeah, he hates welfare. So do people on welfare. We know it's necessary. So does he. He seems to think that less welfare will be needed if dads get home and work to pay bills. I think so too. Makes sense that two incomes will help pay bills. Dad is probably in jail for selling drugs to keep the family off welfare. Better to just pay for job training for drug felons so they can work, costs less too and it would be less traumatic for families and society. Rand Paul says this type of shit. I say this shit all the time. I feel like the guy is reading my journal or something. I wish the Democratic Party would read it.
randys1
(16,286 posts)The drug war is a war against African Americans to stop them from voting and being in the way when us good white folk want to go out at night, right?
so if this guy actually did something about that I can see lots of well meaning people voting for him, but it would be a disaster
but at least he would have done it, there is that
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)After Rachel Maddow blew his mind on her show, he changed his ways. He got laughed at at a Historically black college, but, he keeps trying. He keeps talking to Black people in their own environment and trying. He's got game. Don't sleep on him, he's doing OUR thing.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)I understand he is running to put on a choir robe but it doesn't mean he can sing.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)He's working very hard to make himself known to the Black community. He already has younger voters on his side. I think we should try to beat him. Bring our own legislation. Do outreach.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)and I will continue to be missed until he publically states he has changed his believe that racial discrimination, while personally repugnant and a bad business model, is the right of private enterprise.
I don't care how much dope he would allow folks to smoke or that (depending on what day it, and who his audience, is) he would end all wars.
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)But someone might.
I think it's important for the Democratic Party to do those sit downs he is doing.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)and I suspect they would ... if they weren't afraid to be seen with Black folks outside of campaign season.
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)Throw it!
That's a good way to put it - and why is that? Heaven forbid . . .
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Somebody might call them a n lover.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
bravenak
(34,648 posts)That is very important to me and many other poorer blacks who have more than one relative and many friends doing time on a drug charge. At least he admits that the drug war targets black men, we can barely get our drug warrior politicians to admit to a bit of unfairness for blacs.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I get that ... I just don't believe him and live by the maxim: "when someone tells/shows you who they are; believe them!"
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We wouldn't vote for him. And we know his position on Civil Rights.
But our party is letting him get in and fit in. My young cousins like him, and when I tell them he's racist, they say "So what? They all are." They know segregation ain't coming back, cause they would not follow the rules. Our kids are not timid or fearful. These kids were born under the triangulation period and their parents were on welfare during Clinton. They don't like Clinton. And they don't like Hillary. All thry know about them is they thought Obama should be serving them Lunch.
Rand Paul crazy ass loves going up around some black folks, he went to Ferguson recently. Our party was kinda scared to be seen there except for the black ones.
The younger generation, myself barely included, care more about ending the New Slavery than handing democrats a win. As evidenced by us showing up for sentence reduction measures on the ballot, legalization that passed, minimum wages laws that passed. Democrats need to allow the younger boomers and older Genxers in our party to have a turn, our parents instead of our grandparents. At least we know they care about how hard things are right now.
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)Good, bad, indifferent -
It's true!
bravenak
(34,648 posts)No matter how many times Black people rebuff him, he comes back for more!! Ours are welcome at anytime and won't drop by and sit for a spell. He has decent manners. People aporeciate being listened to, even if it's for selfish reasons.
JustAnotherGen
(31,825 posts)Longevity and distance - some guys just won't go away even if you tell him "I don't like you like that!". 
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)Rand Paul on Civil Rights: Private Restaurants Wouldn't Have To Serve Martin Luther King
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/rand-paul-on-civil-rights_b_582674.html
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Some people will overlook stuff like that since we live in a racist society anyway. He says his shit out loud. Some think just like him quietly and just stay away from us. Like the Democrats who stay far away from any discussion of systemic racism. Or the prison state. Or drug laws targeting blacks. Or Ferguson.
He shows up. That's counts for something with the people going through it. Who shows up and asks what you need? Fucking Rand goddam Paul, that's who! Fuck that!
We should be the ones reaching out and discussing releasing non violent offenders from prison, not him.
We should question the idea of a black man selling crack getting more time than a pedophile or killer or home invasion robber, not him.
He doesn't seem to care about making his party mad by kicking it with black folks. Our party seems to be thinking we got the black vote sewn up. We don't. Many voted for Obama, NOT the party. And the Party shunned their guy to appeal to white more. It was never Rand Paul's job to be on Obama's side.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)He is going to black people, actually making contact with them, actually talking with them, actually listening to them.
I think some black people appreciate the effort.
This has nothing to do with the reality of his political positions.
He ain't no good, but he's there saying just the right things.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)here is a long analysis of his positions, rapidly changing to make himself more electable .....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/shifting-his-views-rand-paul-seeks-broader-appeal--but-may-risk-his-outsider-image/2014/09/14/c89105c8-3869-11e4-bdfb-de4104544a37_story.html
On domestic policy, Paul continues to advocate for deep cuts to the size of the federal government.
For one thing, he wants to eliminate four Cabinet departments: Energy, Education, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development.
Paul’s plan would save some functions within those departments: The National Weather Service, the Census Bureau, the Patent and Trademark Office, and Pell Grants for college would all survive. But he would dismantle the bureaucracies around them.
That might save taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. However, it would also eliminate programs that provide money for things ranging from low-income housing to renewable-energy research to poor school districts.
“I’d leave it at home,” Paul said of the tax dollars spent on education in particular. Speaking at a University of Chicago forum this year, he said the money that flows through the federal Department of Education would be spent better by state and local school authorities. Of the department’s bureaucrats, he said: “They hinder innovation. I would cut them out of the loop. I don’t think you’d notice if the whole department was gone tomorrow.”
bravenak
(34,648 posts)But if you have somebody or a few somebodies in jail, you want them out. And he is right there, trying to get the key. And he can blame democrats for trying to stop him. And republicans play blame better than us.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)The republican thing is law and order, throw the book at the miscreant, the harder and more brutal the better. The best spot for poor people is in jail.
Libertarianism is the odd cousin of Republicans, whose views on these issues are not widely shared in that party. Rand will ditch all of these previously strongly held views if it will get him elected.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We should oppose the police state. And him changing after the fact won't help us at all. He'll blame us and we'll have at least one drug warrior making it easy for him.
