Do white voters have a ''magical negro'' pro-black bias?

[Jacobtm]

I have heard it asserted many times in reference to Cain. That although he doesn't know what he's talking about, people give him a pass because he's black.

It's amazing to think that some would assume a PRO black bias, when African Americans remain under-represented throughout our political system.

However, when Obama-mania was at its height, many African Americans were quick to point out that White America was putting too much faith in Obama, that they were looking at him as Magical Negro who white people thought had magical powers to make their problems go away.

Now, I don't have the facts to back this up, but could white voters think that black politicians somehow have a magic touch, and are thus willing to put more blind faith in them?

[The Vorlon]

I have heard it asserted many times in reference to Cain. That although he doesn't know what he's talking about, people give him a pass because he's black.

It's amazing to think that some would assume a PRO black bias, when African Americans remain under-represented throughout our political system.

However, when Obama-mania was at its height, many African Americans were quick to point out that White America was putting too much faith in Obama, that they were looking at him as Magical Negro who white people thought had magical powers to make their problems go away.

Now, I don't have the facts to back this up, but could white voters think that black politicians somehow have a magic touch, and are thus willing to put more blind faith in them?

There is a saying that the "The truth will set you free".. unfortunately, the truth is often cold and painful, while lies can be rather soft and fuzzy.

The US economy has substantial structural issues, and the cures are, well, painful.  Deep down the vast majority of people know this.  But to quote the French Finance minister before the collapse of Napoleon..... "Of course we will do nothing... - the problem is much too serious for action!..."

I think American voters (and other nations as well, obviously) would rather believe soft fuzzy lies than accept cold hard truth.

In 2008 Obama was going to heal the racial divide, and bring hope and change.  Obama care was going to insure 30 million, expand choice, reduce premiums, improve quality, and save $1 Trillion off the federal deficit.........  

Deep down anybody with an IQ higher than a grapefruit new if was a fraud and a lie.... but it was a soft and fuzzy lie we wanted to believe.

Herman Cain may be some of the same.  If we elect Herman Cain the GOP is suddenly washed clean of all it's racial sins, and 999 will magically heal the economy.  Both of these are at least as realistic as "Hope & Change" + Obama care, but they do make for a nice story anyway.

Politicians continue to sell snake oil because, well, it sells fairly well actually.  I am not sure black snake oil sells any better or worse than white, Hispanic, or any other flavor of snake oil.

[memphis]

Whites definately have lower expectations for blacks.

[sentinel]

You could have handled this a lot better, including the title.

[porker]

I have heard it asserted many times in reference to Cain. That although he doesn't know what he's talking about, people give him a pass because he's black.

It's amazing to think that some would assume a PRO black bias, when African Americans remain under-represented throughout our political system.

However, when Obama-mania was at its height, many African Americans were quick to point out that White America was putting too much faith in Obama, that they were looking at him as Magical Negro who white people thought had magical powers to make their problems go away.

Now, I don't have the facts to back this up, but could white voters think that black politicians somehow have a magic touch, and are thus willing to put more blind faith in them?

I think you're definitely on to something. Conservatives are especially sensitive about being labeled as racist due to their visceral disgust with Obama. Let's face it, nowadays even people who hold unconscious racial prejudice don't like to think of themselves as racists. They don't hate all black people... they just homogenize them all as dangerous, untrustworthy and lazy. But then here comes Herman Cain. A real conservative who speaks their language. He goes on national TV and says the majority of black people are brainwashed and can't think for themselves. He calls the democratic party a 21st century plantation. Herman proves that blacks who work hard and don't complain can succeed. His own disgust with the black community confirms every stereotype and prejudice racist conservatives have. And since he's black himself, they can repeat what he says without being racist!

Conservatives LOVE Herman Cain. He says everything racists are thinking, thereby ironically shielding them from charges of racism. Of course they support Herman Cain. Not supporting him would just strengthen their fear of being labeled racist for not supporting him because he's black. They have no choice but to support him to prove they're not really racists!

[cavalcade]

I think "pro-minority bias" would be a better way of looking at it.  See Rubio and Martinez.  Richardson certainly got plenty of media love at first, he just didn't connect with voters.

African Americans a little more so, but not too much.

[porker]

I think "pro-minority bias" would be a better way of looking at it.  See Rubio and Martinez.  Richardson certainly got plenty of media love at first, he just didn't connect with voters.

African Americans a little more so, but not too much.

This is true but incomplete. It's not enough to be a black conservative - see Michael Steele. Cain is different because he constantly talks about race in a way that marginalizes people of his own color. He is the black community's ambassador to the Republican Party and he tells them, "don't worry - blacks are only disadvantaged because they're stupid and lazy, whites who support Obama are just politically correct liberals, and you're not racist because you support a black conservative who legitimizes your caricature of the black community."

[Jacobtm]

He is the black community's ambassador to the Republican Party and he tells them, "don't worry - blacks are only disadvantaged because they're stupid and lazy

Same for Rubio. A lilly-white dude from Cuba, you can bet his family is part of the moneyed aristocracy that has been in charge of Latin America for centuries.

Rubio is a more classic case of being born on 3rd base, and has nothing but disdain for the poor, as is the norm among the Latin American White Aristocracy.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

Same for Rubio. A lilly-white dude from Cuba, you can bet his family is part of the moneyed aristocracy that has been in charge of Latin America for centuries.

Rubio is a more classic case of being born on 3rd base, and has nothing but disdain for the poor, as is the norm among the Latin American White Aristocracy.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I think "pro-minority bias" would be a better way of looking at it.  See Rubio and Martinez.  Richardson certainly got plenty of media love at first, he just didn't connect with voters.

African Americans a little more so, but not too much.

This is true but incomplete. It's not enough to be a black conservative - see Michael Steele. Cain is different because he constantly talks about race in a way that marginalizes people of his own color. He is the black community's ambassador to the Republican Party and he tells them, "don't worry - blacks are only disadvantaged because they're stupid and lazy, whites who support Obama are just politically correct liberals, and you're not racist because you support a black conservative who legitimizes your caricature of the black community."

Hear, hear.

[J. J.]

I think there are stereotypes, both positive and negative.  It's the "Jews are good with money," "Jews are smart," "Asians are good at math" type thing.

In Cain's case, you can say, "Look what he achieved.  He's ran a national business at a time when African Americans were discriminated against."  He did have high achievements, but there are many others as well.

He is the black community's ambassador to the Republican Party and he tells them, "don't worry - blacks are only disadvantaged because they're stupid and lazy

Same for Rubio. A lilly-white dude from Cuba, you can bet his family is part of the moneyed aristocracy that has been in charge of Latin America for centuries.

Rubio is a more classic case of being born on 3rd base, and has nothing but disdain for the poor, as is the norm among the Latin American White Aristocracy.

Ah, his father was a bar tender and his mother a maid.  That's aristocracy when compared to the assistant janitor.

[Link]

Deep down anybody with an IQ higher than a grapefruit new if was a fraud and a lie.... but it was a soft and fuzzy lie we wanted to believe.

Obamania is firmly rooted in reality



It's no lie young buck.  Obamania is firmly rooted in reality.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

"Wow, Obama's policies were implemented on Jan 20 2009, which is why the trend starts to improve the moment he took office...what an efficient executive!!!"...is one way to look at it at the current time.

another way to look at it right now is..."Obama's policies took several months to implement, and once implemented, they stalled the recovery."

By Nov 2012, the way the American people look at it will be, “That sorry Obama, not only did his policies stall the recovery, they brought on a new recession.  And now that the UE rate is above 10% and climbing, he wants us to give him another 4 years?!”

[TJ in Oregon]

The main problem with this graphic is that it points to the change in the second derivative of our jobless rate as the main success: the number of jobs created or lost being the first derivative and the change in the number of jobs created or lost as the second. Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

The main problem with this graphic is that it points to the change in the second derivative of our jobless rate as the main success: the number of jobs created or lost being the first derivative and the change in the number of jobs created or lost as the second. Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

there are a lot of assine things that graph is attempting to imply:  1) Obama's policies were a 180 degree change from Bush's, 2) that Obama's policies were immediately implemented, 3) that federal policy can immediately change the momentum of the business cycle, and 4) that UE is a not a lagging indicator but a coincident indicator.

but, I have to give Link some credit - he attempts to sale his BS with a full of BS sales pitch...though it is kinda insulting to think he believes we're stupid enough to buy into it

[Yank2133]

I am not sure Cain is getting a pass because he is black. I think his has more to do with him been an outsider and not really a politician. I mean if he had been a former/current senator or governor saying this stuff, he would be finished, regardless of his race.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I am not sure Cain is getting a pass because he is black. I think his has more to do with him been an outsider and not really a politician. I mean if he had been a former/current senator or governor saying this stuff, he would be finished, regardless of his race.

well, I sure didn't give him a pass because he was black...as soon as I witnessed for myself him being unaware of the most trivial of policy positions, I turned out the lights.

[cavalcade]

Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

Maybe Obama should try the third derivative:

"The rate of increase of inflation is going down."  - Richard Nixon

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

Maybe Obama should try the third derivative:

"The rate of increase of inflation is going down."  - Richard Nixon

isnt that still second derivative?

[cavalcade]

Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

Maybe Obama should try the third derivative:

"The rate of increase of inflation is going down."  - Richard Nixon

isnt that still second derivative?

Technically inflation is the rate of change of prices, so inflation is the first derivative of prices.
So if inflation is increasing, that is second derivative of prices.
So if inflation is increasing, but the rate of increase is going down, that is third derivative of prices.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

"The rate of increase of inflation is going down."  - Richard Nixon

Technically inflation is the rate of change of prices, so inflation is the first derivative of prices.
So if inflation is increasing, that is second derivative of prices.
So if inflation is increasing, but the rate of increase is going down, that is third derivative of prices.

rate of change of acceleration....got it

[Link]

there are a lot of assine things that graph is attempting to imply

I love the jmfcst meltdown!  I put up one graph and two short sentences and he comes unglued.  The graph is just a graph jmfcst.  All the magical powers you have attributed to it are just in your head.  Why does that graph cause so much fear?  Maybe it's because you graduated from the Marco Rubio school of politics (please see my signature).

If you put up some objective figures showing a positive contrast between Obama and the last regime jmfcst starts foaming at the mouth and telling us how the data is invalid.  When jmfcst hears that someone in Boise may have had their hours cut at work he instantaneously appears on this forum manically celebrating the "double dip recession"  he just knows we are in.

The jmfcst caricature just get's wilder and wilder with each post.

[TJ in Oregon]

Fair or unfair, the second derivative is pretty far removed from the way most Americans perceive our economic state. We aren't going to notice inflection points.

Maybe Obama should try the third derivative:

"The rate of increase of inflation is going down."  - Richard Nixon

I'm too young to remember that but either way it isn't going to convince too many people of President Obama's alleged economic genius.

If President Obama loses re-election it will be in the sort of logic that he's a fall guy. It will be for the abstrat idea of 'change' more than any individual economic policy. It's not so much a question of what Mitt Romney would do differently (maybe it should be, but that's not the way American politics works). If President Obama loses re-election it will be for the same reason he was elected in the first place: frustration for the current state of affairs and the hope for something more, something better, a new direction forward.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

there are a lot of asinine things that graph is attempting to imply

I love the jmfcst meltdown!  I put up one graph and two short sentences and he comes unglued.

the rebuttal I gave to your graph is the exact same rebuttal I've been giving on this forum since I’ve been here:  1) the momentum of the business cycle is stronger than government policy, 2) federal policy can't immediately cause inflection points to the business cycle, 3) employment is a lagging indicator

and I’ve gone out on a limb on this board to call recoveries during both GOP and Dem administrations (summer 2003 and late spring of 2009), and I’ve gone out on a limb on this board to call recessions during both GOP and Dem administrations (early 2008 and Oct 2009).  And I supported TARP and the Stimulus and the Auto Bailout.

So, despite your attempt to paint me as someone who comes “unglued”, the long-term members of this forum are well aware of my posting record in terms of economics.  You’re kind of like one of hacks who attempt to pie a speaker before he takes the mike in an attempt to shake him up, but I’m the type who will simply use my hand to crudely wipe off the half the pie and simply go ahead with my speech unshaken. 

Like I told some psycho chick I blew off many years ago: “You and I were this || close to working things out forever.  But, oh well...”