Black voters still focused on ‘bread and butter’ issues

27th October 2014   ·   0 Comments

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Despite outrage over killings by police, concern about Ebola, and U.S. troops now fighting ISIS in the Middle East, it appears that so-called “bread and butter issues” – the economy, education and jobs – are still very much on the minds of voters heading to the polls across the nation through Nov. 4.

“I think the inequality in the way the wealth in this country and even in my city is dispersed is an outrage,” says Charlotte Marcoulis, 20, a college student planning to vote in Los Angeles. “More and more people suffer and nothing is done…I feel that all we have is each other in the big schemes of things so I think it’s in our best interest to support and lift one another up.”

Even new voters will be headed to the polls with finances on their minds. “Anything related to reducing the wealth gap!” agrees Jalen Price, 18, of St. Louis.

It was a suburb of St. Louis, Ferguson, Mo., where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson August 9. The shooting of the unarmed teenager — allegedly with his hands up — resulted in outrage across the country. The Rev. Al Sharpton, president/CEO of the National Action Network, has been traveling the country on what he calls a “Hands Up Voter Drive”. He is calling on “African-Americans to vote on November 4 in the name of Michael Brown and Eric Garner,” another unarmed man who died after a police chokehold in Staten Island, N. Y. July 17.

A new group called the Power Check Coalition has hooked up with comedian Sommore to promote a “check your power” campaign through a new national non-partisan network of leaders and organizations. The network is focused on “tapping the power of social media to engage infrequent voters”, says a statement released last week. Sommore held an event Saturday, October 25, in Harrisburg, Pa., attempting to rev up excitement.

The NAACP, which compiles an annual report card for members of Congress, scores Repub­licans and Democrats based on their votes for against what the NAACP calls “bread and butter” issues. These are issues like jobs, quality health care, and civil rights and affordable education, which disparately affect African-Americans. These issues appear to be driving many voters to the polls in addition to major voter campaigns by the civil rights community.

The push to register early and get out the vote is largely in response to sweeping changes to voter laws that have caused alarm in the civil rights and African-American communities. Histo-rically, voter turnout has been significantly lower in mid-term elections than in presidential elections every four years. But, the push to get out to vote is also in response to high tension between Republicans and Demo-crats that has resulted in a battle for both parties to either maintain or take control of the U. S. House and Senate. Currently, Republi-cans dominate the House and Democrats dominate the Senate.

“I would really like to see Democrats…control the whole congress and see what they could accomplish,” says Monte Kenton, 40, a service clerk in East St. Louis, Ill., “Having an imbalance is keeping anything from getting done.”

But, some voters are thinking closer to home as they go to pull the lever. Gayle Todd, 45, a self-employed realtor in Dallas, says she’s planning to vote in the Texas gubernatorial race, where the abortion rights issue has resurged.

“I am concerned with keeping or furthering the rights we have right now. Big thing in our race for governor is Pro-Choice. I feel women should have a say so about their body,” Todd said.

Affordable college tuition rates, global warming and the environment are some of the other issues inspiring voters to the polls.

“The environment is also a huge issue here in Los Angeles. There is an intense drought which I believe is direct effect of the warming going on globally. Something has to be done about it or we could be in some serious trouble in the next few years,” Marcoulis says.

Despite issues that directly affect people’s lives, such as health care, educatioon and jobs, some still question whether their vote will really matter. Ayana Matthews, a 33-year-old working mom in San Francisco is convinced that every vote counts. “While I’m in the booth I sit and ask myself, Does my vote really matter? Am I voting for a reason and or a purpose?,” Matthews says. “The most important election to me is every election because there was a time when Blacks weren’t allowed to vote at all, therefore I take advantage of every opportunity that I have to be able to vote.”

This article was compiled from interviews by Howard University journalism students Kahdijah Cole, Victoria Lockhart, LaShawn Moore, Grier Spry, Jennifer Thomas, and Sydney Todd.

This article originally published in the October 27, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.