Which Candidate will do the best job at addressing Racism

[el_bryanto]

Just to see where we are I am selecting what key issues people seem to care about from this post --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251469004 If you want to suggest future polls like this one, you can post responses there.

I should point out that caring a great deal about one issue, does not mean you don't care about any other issue.

Bryant

14 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Hillary Clinton
	0 (0%)
	Bernie Sanders
	13 (93%)
	Martin O'Malley
	0 (0%)
	All of the Democratic Candidates are likely to do a good job on this issue.
	1 (7%)
	All of the Democratic Candidates are likely to do a bad job on this issue.
	0 (0%)
	One of the Republican Candidates for some reason
	0 (0%)
	This bullshit poll is bullshit
	0 (0%)
	I like to vote!
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. My vote:

Why did I choose 'All will do a bad job?'

Because in a vacuum, I suspect they'll do what basically every other President has done - give it fairly minimal thought and effort.

But I also think that Hillary, Bernie, or Martin have the potential to be ok on those problems IF constantly pushed. Just like other issues. Most of us have (especially most of us white people) have been pretty crappy citizens. We've treated elections as our only real obligation to making the country a better place. We've sat back and let the status quo go on status quoing, we've said 'they're right', when listening to protestors, maybe signed a petition or two, but otherwise done SQUAT about injustices that haven't (yet) directly impacted us in a way we can't ignore or pretend is the fault of something other than the real cause. We elect someone, then ignore them, other than to grumble to ourselves. We don't put any real effort in getting them to DO any of the things we supposedly elected them to DO.

[KittyWampus]

3. I voted same then changed to "All Will Do Good". Same exact reasoning-

couldn't have worded it any better than you.

I appreciate and respect your posts.

Have a great weekend.

[el_bryanto]

4. unfortunately you could well be right.

I mean if there was ever a time to reform our police departments, now would be it; but we aren't doing anything. I don't know that anybody in political power is even trying to do something.

Bryant

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. We need truly fundamental changes in police departments, police academies, and our 'justice' system

as a whole. And we simply don't do 'fundamental' well. Everybody always wants to bandaid what came before, not throw it out wholesale. And indeed, our very notion of 'justice' is a barbaric atavism we've held onto for thousands of years. What do we speak of when we talk about "justice"? Punishment for socially unapproved behaviour. NOT correcting the problems, not preventing them from reoccurring. Oh sure, we've tacked on some minor attempts at 'rehabilitation', which assumes that the individual is the sole creator of the problems. The problem our justice system sees is 'thieves', not people who are so impoverished and so without skill or opportunity that they see no other way to survive than to steal, or who see 'successful' people who lie and cheat and mistreat those below them, so they emulate those people. But lie and cheat and mistreat people 'legally' and there is no punishment, just idolization.

We don't need a 'justice' system. We need a system that detects problems and finds a way to correct them by addressing the root causes as well as the individual acts. A system that can apply 'justice' to the systematic exploitation and oppression of citizens, not just to the citizens themselves.

[daleanime]

6. True....

but I think some will need more pushing.

[gollygee]

9. Totally agree. n/t

[LWolf]

15. Well, the question about who would

do "best" doesn't really mean that anyone does a good job; just that one will do better than the rest, even if it's slightly more thought and effort.

The "ALL" responses don't match the question, which asks which would be "best;" they're not ALL going to be "best" or "worst."

So I passed. That said, I agree that it's our job, as citizens, to constantly push our elected politicians in the direction we want them to go.

[think]

2. I support Bernie and think he has the best overall campaign but I really want all our Democratic

candidates to work to address racism and propose solutions for combating it.

Although I voted all Democrats I wouldn't consider Jim Webb as being one that will do a good job in addressing the issue but as far as the Democratic party as a whole I do hope our candidates are sincerely making an effort to address racism.

Bernie's campaign I believe holds the best promise for making lives better for PoC and all Americans but I will make the distinction on racism as I really don't want to see supporters of candidates making racism a political issue.

Hopefully Democrats and America as a whole will come together and act as one in addressing this important issue.

[RiverLover]

7. You would think our current president, who happens to be black, would be best at addressing it,

RIGHT NOW, if its true the president has those super powers.

[JoePhilly]

8. The racists would go to war if Obama tried to do anything significant on this topic.

Just electing him President caused them to lose their minds.

I also think that the distinction between economic inequality and social justice has been extremely muddled for quite a long time. I think most people, and most politicians, have assumed that they were more or less the same thing, and what we are coming to realize, is that they are not. Look on DU, there are plenty of folks who still don't get this.

And so before you can address a problem, you have to have clearly articulated what it is. And you have to get large numbers of people to "get it". And I think right now, that's where we are.

Until people "get it" no President can directly effect what one cop, in one department, in one district, in one state, does in this regard.

I think our candidates "get it", and they will be about equal in their ability to help the country "get it".

[RiverLover]

10. Thanks for your insightful reply, JoePhilly.

You expanded my views on this, makes good sense too. Thanks.

[artislife]

14. ^^^This.....nt

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

11. You would hope so, but I also can understand why he might have constrained himself from doing much.

As the 'first' black President, he doesn't want white voters to feel that a black President is simply going to be a President 'for blacks' and not a President for the entire country. I think he maybe bent a bit too far backward in that sense, but you also have to know just how much the RWers have made that claim anyway. I think he's trying, in part, to ensure that there is a real chance that we will have a SECOND black President within many of our lifetimes.

[sabrina 1]

12. The one who has the best record on fighting for Civil Rights and

Economic Justice. Which is why I am supporting him.

[Zorra]

13. Examine their records on racism, and see if their words are backed up by their deeds.

If a candidate says they care about minorities, but has actually repeatedly said or done things that have done harm to minorities in the past, it would be prudent to consider voting for a different candidate.