Blacks Continue to Vote For Their Own Demise.

by Raynard Jackson March 16, 2026 16 Comments BM Business Money News Opinion Politics SN Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) During the past couple of months, I have undertaken an informal experiment with many of my friends who are media appointed leaders of all the top Black civil entitlement organizations (some refer to them as civil rights organizations, but I digress).

These friends of mine work in leadership positions for radical liberal groups like the NAACP, The National Urban League, the Congressional Black Caucus, The National Association of Black Journalists, etc.

I asked these radical Black liberals if they had to choose between voting for a Black Democrat versus a white Democrat, who would they choose.

Not one person asked me about any policy differences between the two candidates. Their default position was if “they were Black, they automatically had the best interest of the Black community at heart.”

Blacks Continue to Vote For Their Own Demise.

Herein lies the problem permeating within the radical liberal quarters of the Black community, voting for skin color not for policies!!!

There are well over ten thousand Black elected officials across America, the most in the history of the U.S. This includes mayors, state representatives, state senators, city councilmen, etc. There is one Black governor in the U.S., Wes Moore, the radical liberal governor of the state of Maryland.

There are current and former Black mayors of St. Louis, Baltimore, New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, etc.

Many of these cities have not had a Republican mayor in almost one hundred hears—Baltimore, St. Louis comes to mind.

Yet whenever these radical liberal Black elected officials discuss all the negative indices in their communities among Blacks, the fault always lie with Donald Trump, white folks, racism and the legacy of slavery.

These radical liberal Blacks can never bring themselves to admit that it is their radical liberal policies that have destroyed the Black community!

Crime is out of control in these cities along with the unemployment rate, teenage pregnancy, welfare, and non-performing schools.

In many of these cities, radical liberal Blacks control all of the levers of power and they still blame their plight on “the man.” I have no idea who “the man is.” I would love for someone to introduce me to him.

You have a Black mayor, a majority Black city council, a Black state representative, a Black state senator, a Black police chief, a Black states attorney, and a Black U.S. Congressman; but yet the blame always comes down to white folks.

Make it make sense!!!

This debate is no longer about the goodness or badness of white folks. This debate is no longer about the legacy of slavery. This debate is no longer about whether Donald Trump is a racist or not.

The debate is about the failure of liberalism and Black elected officials promoting a radical liberal agenda that continues to destroy the Black community.

The War on Poverty should be renamed The War on Blacks. These policies have totally decimated the Black community and elected Black officials continue to ignore the devastation.

In former President Reagan’s 1988 State of the Union speech he stated, “We waged a war on poverty and poverty won.”

My corollary is, “Radical liberal white Democrats waged a war on poverty and Blacks lost!”

During the last fifty years radical liberals have spent well over $ 15 trillion on the War on Poverty with nothing to show but total devastation in the Black community.

For $ 15 trillion Blacks have high crime rates, low home ownership, out of control fatherless households, and non-performing schools.

According to the Libertarian Institute, “Data provided by every census between 1890 and 1954 shows that black Americans were just as active – and sometimes more – in the labor market than their white counterparts. In 1900, for example, black unemployment was 15 percent lower than white unemployment. In 2017, it was 30 percent higher…If the conventional narrative on black American poverty and general social dysfunction were correct – that this was caused by the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, and private discrimination – wouldn’t we expect to see a decline in black unemployment rather than the opposite?”

Blacks must stop voting with their emotions and get back to voting for their interests like in the days of old.

We had a two-term bi-racial president, Obama, with nothing to show for it. We have sixty-two members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the largest voting block in Congress, with nothing to show for it.

Being a Black in the Democrat Party is like pissing on yourself in a dark blue suit; it gives you a warm feeling but no one ever notices.

Message to the Black community, stop letting radical liberal Democrats piss on you and then tell you it is raining!!!

To continue to vote with emotion and not policy that is based on our interests is like the sounding brass or the tingling cymbal full of sound and fury signifying nothing!

Radical liberalism has been totally discredited by the indices in the Black community and has been totally rejected by the rank and file within the Black community and in the marketplace of ideas.

If Republicans were to get serious about substantively engaging with the Black community, they could move more votes in their direction.

Unfortunately, when all is said and done, there is more said than done!!!

Staff Writer; Raynard Jackson

This talented brother is a Pulitzer Award nominated columnist and founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered 527 Super PAC established to get more Blacks involved in the Republican Party. BAFBF focuses on the Black entrepreneur. For more information about BAFBF, visit www.bafbf.org. You can follow Raynard on Twitter; RealRaynardJ; on Gettr: RaynardJackson.

Can also drop him an email at; RaynardJ@ThyBlackMan.com.

Raynard Jackson March 16, 2026

16 Comments

Herb says:

March 17, 2026 at 3:32 pm

Raynard Jackson’s article presents a familiar conservative critique of Black political allegiance to the Democratic Party, framing it as emotional voting based on race rather than policy, and blaming liberal policies—especially the War on Poverty—for ongoing issues in Black communities like crime, unemployment, fatherless households, and poor schools. While Jackson raises valid points about the need for policy-focused voting and accountability from elected officials, his argument oversimplifies complex historical and structural factors, ignores evidence of progress under social programs, and selectively uses data to fit a narrative.
A key issue is Jackson’s portrayal of Black voters as prioritizing skin color over substance. He claims his “informal experiment” with leaders in organizations like the NAACP and National Urban League showed they would choose a Black Democrat over a white one regardless of policy. This anecdotal claim lacks verifiable evidence and generalizes from a small, unrepresentative sample. In reality, Black voters have consistently supported candidates and parties based on platforms addressing civil rights, economic justice, voting rights, and social safety nets—issues where Democrats have historically aligned more closely. This isn’t blind racial loyalty; it’s a rational response to decades of policy differences, including Republican resistance to key civil rights legislation and ongoing efforts to restrict voting access in ways that disproportionately affect Black communities.
Jackson highlights the large number of Black elected officials in major cities and blames persistent problems on “radical liberal policies.” Yet he overlooks structural realities: many of these cities face long-term disinvestment, deindustrialization, discriminatory housing and lending practices (redlining’s legacy), and federal policies that have shifted resources away from urban areas. Crime, unemployment, and education challenges predate and extend beyond local Democratic control. Blaming solely “liberalism” ignores how conservative-led austerity, mass incarceration policies (supported across parties but amplified in certain eras), and economic shifts like globalization have contributed significantly.
On the War on Poverty, Jackson echoes Reagan’s quip that “poverty won” and claims over $15 trillion spent with “nothing to show” but devastation in Black communities. This figure is often cited in conservative circles but is misleading—it aggregates spending over decades across many programs (including Medicare, Medicaid, and education aid) without adjusting for inflation or population growth, and it ignores what the programs achieved. The official poverty rate fell from about 19% in the mid-1960s to around 11-12% in the 1970s, with significant declines among Black Americans. Expanded safety nets reduced child poverty and hunger, improved health outcomes via Medicaid, and supported education access. While poverty persists (especially among Black families due to systemic barriers), evidence shows these programs mitigated worse outcomes, not caused them. Claims that Black communities were “decimated” by these efforts ignore that fatherless households rose partly due to factors like the crack epidemic, incarceration policies, and economic pressures—not welfare alone.
Jackson cites pre-1950s data suggesting Black labor participation was strong (e.g., lower unemployment in 1900), implying decline post-civil rights era. Historical records show Black unemployment was often comparable or lower in some periods before widespread data collection began in the 1970s (BLS consistent tracking starts then), but this reflected limited job options in agriculture and domestic work under Jim Crow segregation—not prosperity. Post-1960s, Black unemployment has consistently been about double the white rate (e.g., around 7-8% Black vs. 3-4% white in recent years, with gaps persisting). This gap stems from discrimination, unequal education access, and occupational segregation—not civil rights gains or anti-poverty programs. The Civil Rights Act and related laws opened doors previously closed, enabling Black middle-class growth despite ongoing disparities.
Finally, Jackson’s piece is not a neutral analysis but comes from someone deeply embedded in conservative politics. As founder and chair of Black Americans for a Better Future (a conservative group/Super PAC aimed at increasing Black Republican involvement), Jackson has received substantial funding from wealthy white conservative donors, including $400,000 in 2015 from Robert Mercer (a hedge fund billionaire known for far-right causes) and additional donations since 2017. Reports describe the group as largely a vehicle for Jackson himself, with nearly all funding from such sources rather than broad Black community support. This context suggests his critiques may align more with promoting Republican outreach (and his own role) than objective assessment of Black community needs.
The real debate isn’t just “liberalism failed” vs. “racism persists”—it’s recognizing that structural racism, economic inequality, and policy choices across administrations have all played roles. Black voters aren’t irrational for prioritizing candidates who address these realities substantively. If Republicans want more Black support, as Jackson suggests, it requires meaningful policy engagement beyond rhetoric—on issues like criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, and voting rights—rather than dismissing decades of Democratic alignment as mere emotionalism.

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- James Davis says:
  
  March 18, 2026 at 9:04 am
  
  There is nothing wrong with questioning the Democratic party and how it has performed when it comes to making your life better. This writer who only identifies himself as “Herb” should not be taken seriously. Why? Herb doesn’t address the substance of Raynard Jackson’s (who does identify himself) article – he attempts to defend the record of Democrats.
  
  The Democratic party of today is in no way the same Democratic party of the 1960s and 1970s, as we all can point to the accomplishments of the Democratic party during that period of time, such as the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, and Jobs Act of 1972. What has the Democratic party of today accomplished for you?
  
  The substance of Jackson’s article is, Republicans have done a better Job of supporting their Voters, than Democrats have over the last 40 years where we have seen 3 Democratic presidents and 3 Republican presidents. As a matter of fact, Clinton and all the Democratic presidents who followed him, Biden and former African American President Obama have hurt us, and all working-class people severely, as Black Americans.
  
  Clinton promoted the outrageous policy of underreporting the unemployment rates of working-class people, by saying the U-3 category rate of unemployment is comprehensive of our monthly unemployment situation, which it isn’t. Obama and Biden could have corrected this and chose not to. This hurt Black Americans more than any other worker group because we have the highest unemployment rate! Read
  https://thyblackman.com/2026/03/08/trump-and-democrats-versus-voters-and-american-workers-who-are-now-dealing-with-high-unemployment/
  
  What we should be paying attention to is, how Republicans have done a better job for their voters and challenge Democrats to do the same for us. Republicans have legislated 5 major tax cuts for the top 10%-20% since 1986. They have done 5 direct tax cuts for their constituencies, and the Democratic party has done not one for the bottom 70%-80%. As a result of these tax cuts, Republicans are wealthier and more prosperous.
  
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Isaac Jackson says:

March 16, 2026 at 7:23 pm

White Americans are the Largest racial group in America 60-61 percent, and Blacks or African Americans are {approx.12-135%) . Black and African Americans are the smallest groups in this country. Don’t forget the light-skinned races passing as white.

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Pelvo White, Jr. says:

March 16, 2026 at 6:45 pm

It is not a good idea to invent a fictitious being such as ( ” radical liberal” ), and argue its elimination within a pluralistic representative democracy with a capitalistic economic base that believes in an unequal distribution of available goods and services based on merit. Merit is defined as usefulness to the republic. Our U.S. Constitution, and the rule of law are liberal laden guiding instruments. Our sense of existentialism, or freedom is determined in large part by our wealth. Liberalism is not radical in our American way of life. It is an essential part of our American life maintained to repair the inherent flaws of our political, and economic systems.

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- The Hard Truth says:
  
  March 16, 2026 at 7:00 pm
  
  The problem with “brothers” like you is not that they are ignorant, but that they have an agenda that is to push white stereotypes without regard for their veracity or relevance. Others have made intelligent comments debunking some of the myth making you’ve engaged in, but a better question is why? Republicans like you have clearly disproven your own theory multiple times by nominating Toms with the thought that black people would simply vote for them because of the color of their skin. Those folks have lost over and over. See, black people aren’t as stupid as they think. You don’t believe we are, you’re just advancing a narrative looking for a paycheck from a deluded cracker. Good luck with that and with your sense of integrity which you may come looking for some day….
  
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Michael Jordan says:

March 16, 2026 at 12:48 pm

Reading these comments, it comes across that many of you are upset the author of this article isn’t spewing the same political ideology you personally harbor. His point is simply that far too many Black voters in particular, vote according to skin color and promises of freebees, rather than sound economic and social policies that will actually uplift them and improve their lives and living conditions. But his job is hard, going against the grain and pointing out hard truths to those that may not want to hear it. I appreciate his approach and perspective.

BTW, calling someone a radical is hardly the same as calling someone a terrorist. What kind of logic is that?
If Wes Moore happens to be the only current Black governor and happens to be as far left of center as the recent crop of elected Democrat politicians, there’s nothing wrong in calling him out as a radical.

Insinuating that Tim Scott is a negative example to compare someone to is in itself racists. Stinks of “Uncle Tom” accusations. Not a good look or much help supporting your point.

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Chauncey J says:

March 16, 2026 at 12:03 pm

When I started reading this article, I kind of figured it was some brainwashed colored idiot that wrote it. I agree that our Black “leaders” have done more harm to the Black community than the racist agenda of the power that be in this country. At least you know what to expect from the people who makes their agenda plain, keep these people down at all cost. But when it is your own people who bamboozle you into a trick bag, it is really frustrating and hurtful.
This is where you enter the picture, my brother, and I say brother very lightly. You talk about the Democratic Party and how they have hurt Black America while pushing for the same Black America who are currently trying to forward bills in Congress to do away with the voting rights our fore-parents were beaten and died for to have established. The same Republican Party that passed stand your ground laws that disproportionately affect Black men like you and I more than our White counterparts. The same Republican Party that wants to white wash American history and have us believe that slavery was a necessary evil at the time.
Bro, before you start pointing fingers at the so called radical liberal left, take a minute to think about where you would truly stand, as a Black man, if the Christian Nationalist Agenda of today’s Republican Party was to come to fruition? Do you seriously think you would be warmly embraced with welcoming arms? If so, wake up Mutley, you’re dreaming again.

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Sekou Bonds says:

March 16, 2026 at 10:59 am

Your article is interesting but the idea that African American voters are somehow “voting for their own demise” oversimplifies both our history and our motivations. The assumption that African American voters are politically uniform or incapable of evaluating our own interests appears radical to me. African American communities debate the same issues as any other group. Most people who are seasoned know that African Americans historically align with the Democratic party and that support stems from historical experiences such as the party’s association with civil rights legislation during the mid-20th century. Voting patterns reflect historical context and perceived policy benefits, not blind loyalty.

Rather than framing African American political participation as self-destructive, maybe we should examine the policies that affect communities and whether they deliver meaningful improvements in areas such as education, economic mobility and public safety. Constructive criticism should focus on policy outcomes and accountability across ALL political parties, not dismissing the judgment of an entire group of voters.

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Wanda C. says:

March 16, 2026 at 10:18 am

I enjoyed this article, but I have a problem with all the black Democrats being labeled radical. This article could be uplifting and bring more blacks to want to do and know more but it sounds very MAGA undertones. I can’t speak for others but I a;ways vote for people that align with my interests and they are not always Democrats. If your desire is to educate than get off the soap box calling all Democrats radical.

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James Davis says:

March 16, 2026 at 10:01 am

Could not agree with you more, in regard to “the substance” of your article. Republicans have done a much better job, in generating wealth for its constituencies, the “want-to-be-wealthy, the wealthy, millionaires, billionaires and corporations.” Republicans, since 1986 have given 5 tax cuts to the wealthy, millionaires, billionaires, and corporations (WMBC’s) and have enacted tax friendly legislation for their supporters.

Democrats, in the meantime, over the last three presidential election cycles are left with cleaning up the economic disasters of Republicans, the 2008 Great Recession and the recession, due to the pandemic, while letting us know, how badly the Republican Party treat, working class Americans. They constantly shower us, with statistics in regard to income inequality, then present us, with their latest brew of Third-Party Programs, as the fix.

So, what’s the definition of 3rd Party Programs? This rendering from Investopedia is helpful; A third party is an individual or entity that is involved in a transaction but is not one of the principals. In other words, a third party is (to give you more clarity) a go-between, an intermediary, a mediator, a minor party, a middleman or middle person or even a referee.

In applying this definition to the policies of the Democratic party whenever they create a program, they deem helpful to their supporters (we are speaking of largely Black Americans), there is always a go-between, or a middleman, who is there to determine, whether you qualify for the benefits of those programs. This intermediary can rule you in or rule you out for whatever the benefits the programs offer, determine the amount, or how long you will receive such benefits. In other words, there is an overseer.

This kind of approach in resolving our economic problems, usually results in incrementalism and is problematic. The reason, 3rd Party Programs, as primary solutions, are problematic and insulting to an intellectually savvy working-class electorate, which include a goodly number of blacks, is because it’s a top-down approach. This top-down approach, especially for Black America, no matter how well meaning the programs are, use higher authority figures, to determine what policies are best for you. It’s a throwback to a time, in the not-too-distant past, when Black Americans were subjugated.

So, what’s the solution? It is one that has been propagated by Republicans “five times,” since 1986, and without dispute, made their constituencies wealthier. Instead of another tax cut for WBMC’s, why not enact a direct tax cut (not tax credits), for consumers. The Democratic Party has never advocated a “Direct Consumer Tax Cut.”

Remove the third party and give their supporters (mainly the bottom 70%-80%) a direct tax cut. This isn’t “Rocket Science” – “What is good for the goose is good for the gander.” CONSUMPTION Data, shows low- and middle-income Americans are more likely than higher earners to spend “DIRECT benefits” from the government, creating economic growth and millions of jobs, making everybody wealthier.

So, keep on preaching. Soon or later, Black Americans will start asking the right question, “Why do you Democrats always offer 3rd party programs – which don’t seem to get us out of poverty, while Republicans get tax cuts, and their wealth and prosperity grows.” Click on TheFixThisTime.com for more details.

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- Chauncey J. says:
  
  March 16, 2026 at 11:45 am
  
  You think the Republicans have done a better job enriching their base, you need to come from whatever rock you are living under. Check the Rust Belt, the Bible Belt, and rural America in general. These are the same people who the Republicans fire up with their hate rhetoric every four years and come away with empty hands every time. It is the same playbook with all politicians, get the sheep to follow you and lead them to the slaughter. It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle they are on, sheep are sheep.
  
  Reply
  - James Davis says:
    
    March 16, 2026 at 3:12 pm
    
    You say, ” Check the Rust Belt, the Bible Belt, and rural America in general,” as this voting group is the Republican base. What kinda rocks are you living under? The last time I looked it was the Top 10%-20% who was happy with Trump’s $3.4 Trillion Tax Cut. Sure, the GOP is comfortable with giving, the “RED Meat of racism, anti-abortion rhetoric, and tax cuts on tips, to attract voters, but at their core Trump and Republicans are about rewarding billionaires, millionaires and corporations with huge tax cuts. Democrats like yourself ought to take a hint from their playbook.
    
    Reply
Peter L. Townsend says:

March 16, 2026 at 7:59 am

The intentional recession of 08′; up till then, 2/3’s of African Americans had acquired some level of middle-class status, financially speaking. He fails, to mention this because he’s not aware of that fact. “Intentional” because it succeeded in the loss of homeownership among ‘us’ especially. One would have to call it a “reset”, no one was ever prosecuted for the mass fraud but were rewarded with great financial gain (C-Span).

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Dr. Black says:

March 16, 2026 at 6:20 am

This “article’ calls the only Black Governor in the USA currently, “radical.” That is enough to discount anything else written. Is this “journalist” calling all the white republican governors “Maga Terrorists?”

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- so many questions says:
  
  March 16, 2026 at 10:42 am
  
  Ipso Facto
  
  Reply
  - Chauncey J says:
    
    March 16, 2026 at 12:09 pm
    
    He is not going to call an ace an ace and a spade a spade because he has drank the MAGA Kool-Aid and now believes he is a part of the in-crowd. Foolish man, they will always be a “Tim Scott” to push their agenda, lol.
    
    Reply