Does anyone thing there could have been a (probably quite leftist, of course) political party that was largely focused on black interests, starting around the latter part of the civil rights movement, and one that could have gotten the national majority of black votes?
WI/PC: African American political party?
- Thread starter sciscisciortino
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birdboy2000
Banned
I doubt it, at least in a first past the post system. No matter how much the establishment political parties alienate the African-American community, they're not a majority in any US state and running their own party on black issues is essentially throwing their vote away. Even if they support a third party en masse, such a party needs to try to appeal to disaffected white voters as well to have any hope of winning.
In some democracies (I'm thinking especially Israel, but I'm sure there are others) ethnic parties can win heavily among their ethnicity, join a coalition, and thereby have influence in government. But the electoral system in the US strongly discourages ethnic-based political parties at a national level, because candidates can win with a plurality of the vote, which encourages consolidation into two or sometimes three political parties. And African-Americans aren't numerous enough as a percentage of the electorate to dominate one of those two or three parties at a national level.
In some democracies (I'm thinking especially Israel, but I'm sure there are others) ethnic parties can win heavily among their ethnicity, join a coalition, and thereby have influence in government. But the electoral system in the US strongly discourages ethnic-based political parties at a national level, because candidates can win with a plurality of the vote, which encourages consolidation into two or sometimes three political parties. And African-Americans aren't numerous enough as a percentage of the electorate to dominate one of those two or three parties at a national level.
Orville_third
Banned
Comparatively easy one: Expand the United Citizen's Party into a national one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Citizens_Party
Harder: A Republican plan to siphon off the black vote backfires, and the "Committee for Negroes in Government" actually gets organized.
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2001/spring/lbj-and-white-backlash-2.html (Scroll down a lot).
Hardest: These guys run.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Citizens_Party
Harder: A Republican plan to siphon off the black vote backfires, and the "Committee for Negroes in Government" actually gets organized.
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2001/spring/lbj-and-white-backlash-2.html (Scroll down a lot).
Hardest: These guys run.
Kaptin Kurk
Banned
This belongs in pre-1900. It was possible, remotely, in the aftermath of the Civil War, depending on how 'Reconstruction' goes. After the end OTL / Historical end of Reconstruction, I'd have to say no.
Yes, I was thinking a 1968 ticket that appeals to both African Americans and the New Left youth, perhaps? Maybe MLK decides to run as the masthead of African American and to an extent on anti-war/anti-poverty interests, while knowing he won't get elected.