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Cursor.orgMediaTransparency.org sponsor More stories by Bill Berkowitz PERC receives Templeton Freedom Award for promoting 'enviropreneurs' Media Transparency writersAndrew J. Weaver FundometerEvaluate any page on the World Wide Web against our databases of people, recipients, and funders of the conservative movement. |
ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz In quest for Black votes, Republicans spin their wheelsWhile Black voters continue to reject the Republican Party, conservative Black ministers such as Bishop Harry R. Jackson are looking to Black mega-churches for GOP convertsDespite the calculated outreach efforts by the Bush Administration -- spearheaded by Ken Mehlman, the former head of the Republican National Committee -- to turn the Black vote, exit polling from the 2006 election showed that close to 90 percent of Black voters stayed firmly with Democratic Party candidates. And, although the GOP fielded what they thought were several attractive Black candidates for state-wide races around the country -- former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann ran for governor in Pennsylvania, Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele contended for that state's vacated Senate seat, and Ohio's Secretary of State, and longtime party activist, Kenneth Blackwell was that state's GOP gubernatorial candidate -- the Party failed to win any of those contests. (Swann received 13 percent of the Black vote; Steele received 25 percent; and Ohio's Blackwell received only 20 percent of the Black vote.) Once again the GOP failed to gain traction within the Black community. "The Black vote played a critical role in the outcome of a number of closely contested elections, especially for the U.S. Senate," David A. Bositis pointed out in his report titled "Blacks and the 2006 Midterm Elections." Bositis, a Senior Research Associate at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (website), noted that while national turnout of Black voters was "up slightly" from the 2002 midterm elections, "it was strategically effective in several places, although not enough in others." According to Bositis, "Black voters were important in electing a Democratic governor (Ohio) and reelecting three Democratic governors (Michigan, Pennsylvania and Tennessee) and two Democratic senators (Florida and Michigan)...More important... Black voters were critical in electing four new U.S. Democratic Senators in Missouri, Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania..." GOP tries to build a Black conservative infrastructureRegardless of how many supportive columns Black conservatives Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Star Parker, John McWhorter, LaShawn Barber and Larry Elder write; how much money talk show host and syndicated columnist Armstrong Williams gathered up from the Bush administration for touting its policies; multiple appearances by Black conservative "spokespersons" on conservative radio and cable television's talk shows; large amounts of right wing foundation money poured into creating and sustaining Black conservative organizations; invitations extended to conservative Black clergy to White House gatherings; and Mehlman-authored apologies for the party's racist policies -- including Nixon's Southern Strategy and the infamous Willie Horton advertisement-- the Republican Party continues to be unable to win significant numbers of Black votes. 2006 was earmarked by Republican leaders as a pivotal year for turning the Black vote back to its Republican Party roots; building on the 2004 election when socially conservative Black voters in Ohio and Florida helped put George W. Bush over the top. While Bush received slightly more Black votes than he did in 2000 (up 2 points to 11 percent), in Florida, support among Blacks rose six percentage points to 13 percent, and in Ohio, the president may have snared as much as 16 percent of the Black vote. For close to two decades, while conservative foundations have been spending a substantial amount of dough creating and sponsoring a host of Black organizations, and conservative media outlets have given over significant amounts of space and airtime to conservative Black pundits, at the same time Republican Party leaders have been forecasting a shift in voting patterns in the Black community. Gridlock for Black conservative organizations?A prominent Black conservative organization is Project 21 (website), an initiative of the Washington, DC-based National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR - website). Project 21 was set up in 1992 "to promote the views of African-Americans whose entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to family and commitment to individual responsibility has not traditionally been echoed by the nation's civil rights establishment," according to its website. A recent survey for CNN -- conducted by Opinion Research Corp. -- of 328 Blacks and 703 whites found that 84 percent of Blacks and 66 percent of whites considered racism a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" problem, and 51 percent of Blacks and 26 percent of whites claim to have "been a victim of discrimination." Percentages were lower when people were asked if they knew anyone who was "racially biased," with only 31 percent of Blacks and 21 percent of whites saying they did. Only 12 percent of Blacks and 13 percent of whites surveyed further admitted to being racially-biased themselves. "I think all of this had a predetermined outcome, needing only anecdotal comments to lend a veneer of credibility," said Project 21 Chairman Mychal Massie in a press release issued December 14. "The CNN report serves only one purpose, and that is to convince the public at large - specifically white people - that they are evil racists. It is a vulgar exercise to try to find racism in the fiber of every white." "Racism is based on ignorance. Hard work, perseverance and accomplishments on the part of individuals can evaporate racial bias," Project 21 Fellow Deneen Moore pointed out. There are a host of Black conservative organizations committed to moving Blacks into the Republican Party: The Alliance of Black Republicans (website) chaired by Kim M. Hoppe, aims "to increase participation of the Black American community in the Republican Party." The National Black Republican Association (website) defines its mission as being "a resource for the Black community on Republican ideals and [to] promote the traditional values of the Black community which are the core values of the Republican Party: strong families, faith in God, personal responsibility, quality education, and equal opportunities for all." The United Black Republican Coalition (website), chaired by Alfonzo A. Maxwell, aims "to increase the number of Blacks voting Republican by generating and supporting candidates across the nation who are committed to making a positive difference in African American Communities." Republicans for Black Empowerment (website) list "three broad goals": "foster fresh political dialogue in the Black community"; "develop Black Republican leadership;" and "improve the lives of Americans." African American Republican Leadership Council (website) says its mission "is to break the liberal democrat stranglehold over Black America," and it calls itself "the only national campaign to raise and increase African American support for common sense Reaganite Republican public policies and candidates from a nominal 14 to a strategic target of 25 percent." Black America's Political Action Committee (website) describes itself as an "unaffiliated non-partisan Political Action Committee" whose "candidates are committed to supporting our common sense approach to public policy and politics: promoting Social Security reform, improving public education, expanding economic opportunities to historically disadvantaged sectors in America, vigorously promoting equality for all Americans, protecting the sanctity of human life and restoring moral values and the importance of family in our communities." GOP takes battle for votes to Black churchesThe battle for Black votes will continue; the chief battleground over the next decade will be Black churches. After the election, Virginia's Bishop Gerald O. Glenn, the pastor of the 2,500-member New Deliverance Evangelistic Church, was unapologetic about his support of incumbent Senator George Allen. He told his mostly Democratic Party-supporting congregation that he was proud to have supported the Allen -- who lost a close race to Democrat James Webb -- despite Allen's checkered past around issues of race; an issue that was magnified by the Senator's "macaca" remark during the campaign. "Political pundits and, of course, Black Democrats would say Glenn's endorsement of Allen was simple opportunism," reporters Scott Bass, Amy Biegelsen and Chris Dovi recently wrote in an issue of Richmond, Virginia's Style Weekly dated November 29 -- December 6. "Glenn clearly thought Allen would win, and therefore decided to jump into the fray and position himself and his cause at the forefront of Allen's image makeover. State Sen. Benjamin J. Lambert III, one of Richmond's highest-ranking Black Democrats, said he did the same in the name of funding for Black colleges." "There is some opportunism going on," the Rev. Dwight C. Jones, pastor of First Baptist Church South Richmond, and a Democrat in the House of Delegates, told Style. "I think that they thought [Allen] was going to pull it out and be able to get the spoils from it -- and it was mistake." Pastor Glenn is one of a number of Black pastors who have changed party allegiances over the past few years. These days, Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., of New Hope Christian Church in Maryland (website) and president of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, is probably the most visible ally of the Christian Right. People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch pointed out that "Since joining forces with the far Right -- including membership in the influential Arlington Group -- Jackson has been a frequent spokesman for right-wing causes. He spoke at the 'Justice Sunday: Stopping the Filibuster Against People of Faith' religious rally in support of Bush's extreme judicial nominees" and 'Justice Sunday II', as well as at the Family Research Council's "Values Voter Summit" this past September. Jackson was a featured speaker at the summer 2005's "Justice Sunday II -- God Save the United States and This Honorable Court!" Sponsored by the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, and simulcast nationally, Jackson, who supported George W. Bush in his re-election bid in 2004, told the crowd: "I believe that what God is doing today is calling the Black church to team with the white evangelical church and the Catholic Church and people of moral conscience, and in this season we need to begin to tell both [political] parties, 'Listen, it's our way or the highway.'" After the 2006 election, during which he endorsed Maryland's Michael Steele and Ohio's Ken Blackwell, Jackson remained enthusiastic about the possibilities of the white Christian evangelical/ Black religious alliance. In a two-part column -- posted at TownHall.com November 20 and 27 -- titled "Black Power: The New Conservative Stronghold" (and here) Jackson maintained that the coming two years before the 2008 presidential election offers a great opportunity for "wise conservatives to build bridges with the leaders of the ‘new Black church'": These church leaders are classical social conservatives. They believe that government programs alone cannot stop crime, poverty, or poor schools. The new Black church is not waiting for a handout. They are promoting immediate change through wiser, biblically-informed choices and personal accountability. They are using a new brand of Black power to transform the nation. These men and women all believe that they can change America because of their faith in personal transformation (through religious conversion) and community transformation (through education and economic development). White conservatives, especially evangelical Christians, must learn new methods to advance their agenda; if they are going to protect America against a liberal deluge of poor policies and laws. The chief instrument in their tool kit will be bridge building and coalition formation. Jackson, the author of "The Warriors Heart: Rules of Engagement for the Spiritual War Zone," cited three emerging church leaders -- Dr. Floyd Flake of New York, Pastor James Meeks of Chicago, and Bishop Eddie Long of Atlanta -- all of whom have churches with 14,000 members or more and "represent a 'civil rights' revolution that is very compatible with the tenants of the conservative movement." Jackson argued that while "These kinds of churches can change the landscape of American politics and help both parties come back to the moral center," they are "not alone in the positive contribution they are making to the nation." One thing they have in common wrote Jackson is that "they have rejected the rhetoric of Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, but they do not yet feel welcomed into the conservative movement's ranks. "The images which David Kuo sets forth in "Tempting Faith" articulate their fears. Despite all the nay-sayers, bold Black, entrepreneurial leaders are willing to give new coalitions a try." In a follow-up column titled "Why the Liberal Media Will Lose in '08" (December 11), Jackson suggested that "The national message of the liberals was simply that the current administration could not be trusted to protect them internally or domestically." Liberals also used an old strategy where they "attempt to tell a minority or special interest group that they cannot make it on their own." Liberals "suggest that a larger more powerful group is out to get them ... [and they] imply that people have to stay with 'their group.'" No matter have far they could have gone individually. It is implied that they will never outgrow identification with their group. This liberal approach can dreg up xenophobic fears and create an 'us-versus-them' mentality that is not easy to shake." Due to the Democratic Party's victory, three members of the Congressional Black Caucus -- Democrats all -- will become chairman of three standing committees in the 110th Congress: John Conyers (Michigan) will chair the House Judiciary committee; Bennie Thompson (Mississippi) will chair the House Homeland Security committee; and Juanita Millender-McDonald (California) will become chair of the House Administration committee. According to the Joint Center's David A. Bositis, there are "at least 15 -- and maybe 18 -- CBC members poised to chair" congressional subcommittees. This new alignment presents members of the Congressional Black Caucus with a historic opportunity to raise issues of major import to underserved communities. sign in, or register to email stories or comment on them.
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MORE ORIGINAL RESEARCHBill Berkowitz PERC receives Templeton Freedom Award for promoting 'enviropreneurs'Right Wing foundation-funded anti-environmental think tank grabbing a wider audience for 'free market environmentalism' On the 15th anniversary of Terry Anderson and Donald Leal's book "Free Market Environmentalism" -- the seminal book on the subject -- Anderson, the Executive Director of the Bozeman, Montana-based Property and Environment Research Center (PERC - formerly known as the Political Economy Research Center) spoke in late-January at an event sponsored by Squaw Valley Institute at the Resort at Squaw Creek in California. While it may have been just another opportunity to speak on "free market environmentalism" and not the kickoff of a "victory tour," nevertheless it comes at a time when PERC's ideas are taking root.
Bill Berkowitz Neil Bush of Saudi ArabiaDuring recent visit, President’s brother describes the country as a 'kind of tribal democracy' In late February, only a few days after Saudi Arabia beheaded four Sri Lankan robbers and then left their headless bodies on public display in the capital of Riyadh, Neil Bush, for the fourth time in the past six years, showed up for the country's Jeddah Economic Forum. The Guardian reported that Human Rights Watch "said the four men had no lawyers during their trial and sentencing, and were denied other basic legal rights." In an interview with Arab News, the Saudi English language paper, Bush described the country as "a kind of tribal democracy."
Bill Berkowitz Newt Gingrich's back door to the White HouseAmerican Enterprise Institute "Scholar" and former House Speaker blames media for poll showing 64 percent of the American people wouldn't vote for him under any circumstances Whatever it is that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has come to represent in American politics, the guy is nothing less than fascinating. One day he's espousing populist rhetoric about the need to cut the costs of college tuition and the next day he's talking World War III. One day he's claiming that the "war on terror" may force the abridgement of fundamental first amendment rights and the next he's advancing a twenty-first century version of his Contract with America. At the same time he's publicly proclaiming how "stupid" it is that the race for the presidency has already started you know that he's trying to figure out how to out finesse Rudy, McCain and Romney for the nomination. And last week, when Fox News' Chris Wallace cited a poll showing that 64 percent of the public would never vote for him, he was quick to blame those results on how unfairly he was treated by the mainstream media back in the day.
Bill Berkowitz American Enterprise Institute takes lead in agitating against IranDespite wrongheaded predictions about the war on Iraq, neocons are on the frontlines advocating military conflict with Iran After doing such a bang up job with their advice and predictions about the outcome of the war on Iraq, would it surprise you to learn that America's neoconservatives are still in business? While at this time we are not yet seeing the same intense neocon invasion of our living rooms -- via cable television's news networks -- that we saw during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, nevertheless, a host of policy analysts at conservative think tanks -- most notably the American Enterprise Institute -- are being heeded on Iran by those who count - folks inside the Bush Administration.
Bill Berkowitz After six years, opposition gaining on George W. Bush's Faith Based InitiativeUnmentioned in the president's State of the Union speech, the program nevertheless continues to recruit religious participants and hand out taxpayer money to religious groups With several domestic policy proposals unceremoniously folded into President Bush's recent State of the Union address, two pretty significant items failed to make the cut. Despite the president's egregiously tardy response to the event itself, it was nevertheless surprising that he didn't even mention Hurricane Katrina: He didn't offer up a progress report, words of hope to the victims, or come up with a proposal for moving the sluggish rebuilding effort forward. There were no "armies of compassion" ready to be unleashed, although it should be said that many in the religious community responded to the disaster much quicker than the Bush Administration. In the State of the Union address, however, there was no "compassionate conservatism" for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Bill Berkowitz Frank Luntz calls Republican leadership in Washington 'One giant whining windbag'On the outs with the GOP, legendary degrader of discourse is moving to California He doesn't make great art; nothing he does elevates the human spirit; he doesn't illuminate, he bamboozles. He has become expert in subterfuge, hidden meanings, word play and manipulation. Frank Luntz has been so good at what he does that those paying close attention gave it its own name: "Luntzspeak."
Bill Berkowitz Spooked by MoveOn.org, conservative movement seeks to emulate liberal powerhouseFueled with Silicon Valley money, TheVanguard.org will have Richard Poe, former editor of David Horowitz's FrontPage magazine as its editorial and creative director As Paul Weyrich, a founding father of the modern conservative movement and still a prominent actor in it, likes to say, he learned a great deal about movement building by closely observing what liberals were up to in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Bill Berkowitz Ward Connerly's anti-affirmative action jihadFounder and Chair of the American Civil Rights Institute scouting five to nine states for new anti-affirmative action initiatives Fresh from his most recent victory -- in Michigan this past November -- Ward Connerly, the Black California-based maven of anti-affirmative action initiatives, appears to be preparing to take his jihad on the road. According to a mid-December report in the San Francisco Chronicle, Connerly said that he was "exploring moves into nine other states."
Bill Berkowitz Tom Tancredo's missionThe Republican congressman from Colorado will try to woo GOP voters with anti-immigration rhetoric and a boatload of Christian right politics These days, probably the most recognizable name in anti-immigration politics is Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo. Over the past year, Tancredo has gone from a little known congressman to a highly visible anti-immigration spokesperson. "Tancredo has thoroughly enmeshed himself in the anti-immigration movement and with the help of CNN talk show host Lou Dobbs, he has been given a national megaphone," Devin Burghart, the program director of the Building Democracy Initiative at the Center for New Community, a Chicago-based civil rights group, told Media Transparency.
Bill Berkowitz Institute on Religion and Democracy slams 'Leftist' National Council of ChurchesNew report from conservative foundation-funded IRD charges the NCC with being a political surrogate for MoveOn.org, People for the American Way and other liberal organizations If you prefer your religious battles sprinkled with demagoguery, sanctimoniousness, and simplistic attacks, the Institute on Religion and Democracy's (IRD) latest broadside against the National Council of Churches (NCC) certainly fits the bill.
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Anti-Gay leader to mobilize legions of "values voters" for Kenneth Blackwell in Ohio
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