Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
If the Congressional Black Caucus is questioning the legitimacy of this administration, what will their antagonism toward the president mean for their constituency?
Representative Maxine Waters has introduced the word impeachment connected from the start of President Donald Trump winning the election. President Trump’s launch into governing our nation has been met with full-fledged resistance from members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). This open hostility and suspicion of the Trump administration don’t portend well for the black community. The caucus’s boycott of his inauguration begins what appears to be an all out war with President Trump and his agenda for America, including the black community.
The culmination of their antipathy is personified in Representative Maxine Waters’s belligerent introduction of the idea of impeaching the president. Before President Trump has his cabinet fully in place, and before he begins to set forth his agenda for “Making America Great again,” Rep. Water is stirring antagonism and strategies for impeachment.
It appears the CBC has decided to resist the president’s agenda and stymie his efforts to establish a “New Deal” for the black community. Rep. Waters’s bellicose public statements suggest an unwillingness to work with the president or to pursue his agenda, which will address the critical needs of our communities.
There appears to be an opportunity for the black community to see firsthand a real distinction between the ideological philosophy of the Democrats verses the ideological view of the conservative Republicans as it relates to addressing the critical needs of our communities. President Trump campaigned with a message to the black community: “What in the hell do you have to lose?” He offered a “New Deal” to the community.
How should the CBC respond to this offer? An honest evaluation of the options facing the CBC has to take into consideration the negative consequences for black Democrats for aiding the opposition party to implement programs that will address the core problems facing their constituencies. No doubt party leaders will pressure the CBC not to pursue a bipartisan collaboration that will fuel a positive narrative for the opposition party among blacks. It seems that their best-case scenario within their party is to resist, obstruct, distort, and derail any efforts of the Trump administration to fulfill campaign promises to the black community. Current black leadership has no interest in supporting a new deal from the Republicans and will work tooth and nail against its success. This explains the vigorous opposition we are witnessing from the CBC.
The legacy of the Democratic party as seen in the congressional district led by the CBC is nothing short of depressing. Nothing has changed under the leadership of the CBC or the Democrats for black folk. When we look especially at the 43rd congressional district under Maxine Waters’s leadership, we see a deplorable condition specifically as it relates to jobs, economic development, gang-related crimes, and poor educational results for children of every ethnicity. There have been few improvements, if any, for Mrs. Waters’s constituents. The one thing we can count on from Mrs. Waters and the CBC is nothing. The record shows no measurable difference for communities represented by congressional black leadership for over 50 years. Black Democratic leadership and the Democrat Party have for all intents and purposes have exploited the black community for their votes and offered nothing in return.
As President Trump begins the implementation of his agenda for America, he would do well to steer as far as he can away from the CBC. His best chance for success is to connect with black conservatives within the Republican party to seek ways to ensure success and practical completion of his strategy. Otherwise, he will meet an aggressive effort to sabotage his new deal from Democratic ideologues who have no vested interest in seeing him succeed in the black community. The president’s plan to address those critical needs can provide an escape from the cycle of poverty that has persisted for too long.
Photo credit: mark6mauno (Creative Commons) – Some rights reserved
Stephen E. Broden is the senior pastor at Fair Park Bible Fellowship, founder of Protect Life and Marriage Texas, and member of the National Black Prolife Coalition.
The views expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Black Community News.
I was drawn to BCN by a comment posted by a fellow female on women’s’ rights. She posted views similar to mine and invited readers to view BCN.
Am encouraged by what I read and the opinions expressed. Pastor Broden’s article is a brave expression of the dilemma as he sees it.
Is there anything I, and other white citizens, can do to help?
Rev. Broden, you make a good argument for faith in the new administration. However, you use the word “antipathy” in describing the CBC’s approach to the Trump Administration’s outreach to the Black community–for all intents and purposes, the inner city. African Americans have witnessed a series of Republican presidents since 1968 who have demonstrated a patent disregard to viable improvements in economic, educational and housing in our urban areas. As one born and reared in South Los Angeles, I my family and friends have witnessed the flight of manufacturing jobs, retail giants and educational improvement (i.e. vocational education) from our community under the watch of governors and mayors from both “sides of the isle.” Rep. Maxine Waters is an excellent spokesperson for her constituents who brings attention to these issues on a daily basis. Let’s hope that jobs, better schools and housing opportunities in the inner city can finally “trump” increased funding for the criminal justice system.
The Black Caucus is afraid that under Trump’s presidency, he and the Republicans may improve the conditions for all Black communities and thereby “convert” all those Democrat voters = a new Black Caucus.
“….their constituency?” Their “constituency” consists of those locked onto, as Star Parker opines, ‘the government plantation’ of dependency! Neither this collective bunch of ‘do-nothings,’ nor what remains of what was the intent of the Civil Rights movement, and their “leadership,” have done NOTHING to improve the black community. They have witnessed genocide of the black family and continue to do little but watch. They are excellent, however, at promoting themselves and enhancing ‘their’ lifestyle, of nice houses, two martini lunches, high dollar cars, Jon Green suits, while their “constituents,” lemming like, pour money into their coffers!