The Politics of Race Are Shifting, and Politicians are Struggling to Keep Pace

The race has become a major political factor in the United States where politicians sell ideologies that are targeted to different racial groups with the intention of getting votes from the people of a particular race. The article explains how different politicians are struggling to keep the pace by trying to associate themselves with people of the race that they believe will vote for them. There are inequalities that affect people of different races, and the politicians are using the inequalities to promise the people that once they elect them, they will solve their challenges. The paper reviews the article on the influence of race in American politics.

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Americans belong to different races, and each race has political interests that they want to achieve in any government. The politicians are aware of the interests, and hence they partner with community leaders to come up with a plan to unite in seeking political power that they will then use to settler racial desires (Balz). For instance, Native Americans believe that they deserve to be treated better than other communities, and therefore there voting patterns are aligned to the leaders that subscribe to their ideology. The race factor has changed American politics because politicians align themselves with communities that they believe have more votes to win the elections. The race factor has made it difficult for politicians to market their manifestos because communities are focusing on how they will benefit when a leader is elected.

The author states that the events that affect a specific race make the people to be united to ensure they elect leaders that will advocate for their interests. The author gives the example of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis that prompted Americans to demonstrate fighting for equal treatment of all the people (Balz). The death of George Floyd is likely to influence the upcoming elections because people want to change in the police department. Political leaders that are running for office will be keen on talking to African Americans that their leadership will implement leadership reforms that will guarantee them fair treatment by the police.

There is an emergence of a new type of voters that do not vote in the interests of the race and social groups that they belong in. most Americans living in the United States are immigrants from other states; hence they are not much connected to American politics (Balz). The young generation of voters believes that all people have equal opportunities; hence they elect leaders based on their track record and the policies that they want the leaders to change in improving their lives. There are more interests that concern the people more than the race factor; hence people elect leaders that they believe will implement the changes they want.

There are two main political parties in the United States, which include the democrats and the republicans, whose members do not belong to any race. Different races live in different states; hence they support political parties that they believe have policies that will benefit them (Balz). The political parties have support in different states, depending on the interests of the people living in a certain state. The author states that the increased immigration of people from other parts of the world is changing American politics because they do not have a political history they would like to consider in their elections.

The politics of race leaves the minority more segregated and the nation more divided. At any given election, the presidential candidate tried to appeal to the needs and emotions of either the majority or the minority of the population (Balz). The constitution helped unite a country that is extremely diverse, but this has been affected by the politics of race. The partisan politicians have henceforth turned the Americans against each other and off the principles enshrined in the constitution.

People are made to feel that unless someone from their race is the president, they will be subjected to institutional injustices. Over time citizens feel that nothing or little has been done to assist the minority races such as the blacks (Balz). The opinion on lack of assistance to the minority races is not held by the minority groups only but also by the whites. A survey carried out in 2018, for example, showed that approximately 57 percent of the white democrats felt that the government made little effort on helping the black people (Balz).

Politics of race have promoted structural racism and inequality with people from the minority races being subjected to poor housing, low income, and worse jobs. Unless necessary policies are created, the African Americans, Mexicans, and people of other minority races will be subjected to discrimination in different spaces because of their race. The American government needs to make changes that promote equal rights of the people of color and the white (Balz). Racial politics, however, divided the nation between the democrats and the republics, with the majority of the democrats continuously agreeing that changes should be made to support the black people. The Republicans, however, disagree that something should be done to promote equal rights between the black and the white people. This, therefore, means that whenever there is a Republican president, the black people in the country feel that their rights are violated and that they are discriminated by the government.

Each season, politicians have managed to instigate different tactics in order to win votes from their voters. Research collected initiates race as one major kickback politicians have been using to win positions of their choice. As a matter of fact, black individuals carry on suffering the burden of discrimination in almost all aspects of life (Balz). George Floyd's killing caused a multitude of lining up the streets and demanding the rights of a black man. Trump's administration remains in the forefront domain associated with racism. President Trump has a number of times managed to express racist information prior to becoming president and after elected. The president's remarks carry on intensifying other than declining tensions.

The moment the initials, black lives matter came into the limelight, active politicians against Trump's administration raised a motion suggesting that all lives matter. Amid the chaos and confusion, protestors lined up in streets campaigning the slogan stating black lives matter. The distinctive cry actually orchestrated mass uproar intended to demean Trump's leadership. As seen, the race has always been the source of divisions. Politicians, therefore, managed to instigate it as a weapon for campaigns. The Republicans mastered the art of establishing race issues in order to demean Democrats. Despite the fact that the Democratic party was trying to relate under liberal terms, the Republicans managed to explicit information linked to race.

The Republicans' strategy was aimed at achieving sympathy votes on account of race discrimination. More whites were influenced by the Republicans. Bill Clinton centered on navigating the political concerns as a new Democrat. Bill's idea was to attain mercy from all Americans, whether black or white (Balz). The strategy worked out fine, as Clinton was duly elected as president in 1992. Obama's elect caused a backlash. Individuals became more concerned with who could handle the black man. Conspiracy almost shot up, and the minority Republicans exhibited ideas stating Obama was not born in Kenya.

When Trump came in, he already had pulled a strategic plan in appeasing his supporters. Prior to the elections, Trump never remained calm in provoking the Mexican immigrants. The latter accused the immigrants and Muslims to have intruded to America on illegal terms. The political strategy was aimed at convincing his supporters that America should reign again. Trump further challenges Obama’s administration (Balz). The bold president recently argued his regulations have always centered on leveraging black Americans from unemployment. Trump's statement comes months prior to his second term elections as president. Research, however, shows Trump's ruling is centered on the ideology of white supremacy.

Conclusion

Racial politics make the people lose trust in the government even when it is led by a Democratic president. They have not managed to speak to the needs of the black and the whites in one breath, which makes the black voters feel that they are always taken for a ride by the politicians (Balz). Blacks feel that they have systematically been criminalized, and therefore the government should do something to aid unjustified killings of the blacks. Many blacks have died in the hands of the police, and many young blacks feel that the issue can only be addressed through organized protests.

Works Cited

Balz, Dan. "The Politics Of Race Are Shifting, And Politicians Are Struggling To Keep Pace." Washington Post, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/politics/race-reckoning/. Accessed 5 Oct 2020.