RAYNARD JACKSON
(NNPA)—When I read the recently released report by The College Republican National Committee, titled, “Grand Old Party for a Brand New Generation,” I immediately thought of two cartoons: the Flintstones and the Jetsons.
The Flintstones was an animated, prime-time TV show that debuted in 1960. It was a cartoon about a working class family in the Stone Age. The Jetsons was a cartoon that debuted in 1962. The show was about a futuristic family who lived 100 years in the future (2062).
While the Flintstones lived in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons lived in a world of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, and holograms.
What was interesting about both cartoons was that there were no Blacks in either—so, we were not part of the past (Flintstones) and we were not part of the future (Jetsons).
As it was with the Flintstones and the Jetsons, so is it with the College Republicans: no Blacks anywhere to be found. How can you talk about the future of a major party organization and not say a word about the Black community?
According to their website, “the CRNC conducted six focus groups throughout the United States earlier this year with people from many different backgrounds who had previously voted for President Obama and did a poll of 800 registered voters.”
Politico went on to say, “The report is based largely on two national surveys of 800 registered voters each, ages 18-29, and six focus groups of young people, including Hispanics, Asian-Americans, single women, economically struggling men and aspiring entrepreneurs in Ohio, Florida and California who had voted for President Barack Obama—he cleaned up with 60 percent of the youth vote—but were considered “winnable” for the GOP.”
Did they talk to any Blacks in any of those focus groups? Were there any Blacks included in the polls? There is nothing in their report to indicate that they received input from any Blacks. I have yet to hear one mention of the Black community from the people involved in putting this report together.
The CRNC and Kristen Soltis Anderson of the Winston Group (who organized the focus groups and did the polling) have been all over the media high-fiving themselves, but never even mentioned the Black vote.
The largest voting bloc for Obama was the Black community and no one talks to them? Wow!
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