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Have not seen the break down reports as to who voted what but African Americans in Mr. Rangel's Harlem district voted for him probably for some of the same reasons they did Obama, twice. That is out of a sense of pride in having one of their own represent them in Washington D.C.
Mr. Rangel's district was carved out to create one of the first mainly if not majority AA districts in NYS if not the USA. It being part of Harlem makes it resonate powerfully all the more with African American New Yorkers.
On the flip side AAs in Harlem know that demographically and in other ways Mr. Rangel's district is changing. Sooner or later the Hispanic/Latino population will do what Blacks, Irish, Italians, and every other racial/ethnic group in the United States has done; put one of their own in office. In fact am willing to wager many AAs voted in the primary more to send a message than anything else.
Again sadly because of gerrymandering and how NYC politics works (including vast and deep apathy) Mr. Rangel winning the primary means unless he dies before election day he has another term. Indeed that is how much of NYS congressional districts go, if you win the primary odds are you'll sail unchallenged through the main election. There might be an independent candidate but odds are still on the incumbent.
There actually is no gerrymandering in the Congressional districts this time around. Rangel's district is heavily Democratic because of its location, just like the rest of the districts in NYC. The districts were drawn by the courts aftter the State Assembly (controlled by the Democrats) and the State Senate (now have some strange cross party control, but was controlled by the GOP at the time of redistricting) couldn't agree on a map.
While after the 2000 census redistricting in NY was an Incumbent portection map, for the most part the Congressional districts in NY have had non-gerrymandered districts. Typically the State Assembly and the State Senate have agreed on fair Congressional maps.
Now what they have done for their own seats (State Assembly Democratic and State Senate Republican) have always been a gerrymandered mess for each side, but the Congressional districts have largely resisted the gerrymandered mess.
Look...I agree that 40 years is excessive, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's been there too long.
But all that aside, I don't live in Harlem. Maybe THEY like him and wanna keep him. What's wrong with that?
Maybe THEY should pay attention more 11 ethics violations and the guy is still living off the public
trough. If you can not be judged by your peers, you do not belong there.
"I know in my heart I am not going to be judged by this Congress. I’ll be judged by my life in its entirety."
- Charles Rangel
Maybe THEY should pay attention more 11 ethics violations and the guy is still living off the public
trough. If you can not be judged by your peers, you do not belong there.
"I know in my heart I am not going to be judged by this Congress. I’ll be judged by my life in its entirety."
- Charles Rangel
Who says that they aren't paying attention? Again...if they like him, who are we as non Harlem residents to say they're wrong?
Besides, he'd live off the public trough anyway. He's a war veteran and a congressman. He's not coming off the books until he dies.
Look...I agree that 40 years is excessive, and there's no doubt in my mind that he's been there too long.
But all that aside, I don't live in Harlem. Maybe THEY like him and wanna keep him. What's wrong with that?
Again NYC and to an extent NYS has historically some of the highest voter apathy levels in the country. Primary elections which determine who is on the ballot come November tend to have such low turn out you wonder why bother. It is really only the die hard members of each party that come out to vote in NYC primaries. That usually favors incumbents, as by the time general election rolls around they are often the only *serious* candidate on the ballot. Mr. Rangel like other Congresspersons from NYS faces no real challenge from an opposition candidate, so ....
African Americans in NYC as elsewhere tend to vote for whomever they see as first and foremost bringing all sorts of dollars to their district. Then there is again a matter of ethnic pride especially for Harlem. You notice no serious African American Democrat made a play for Mr. Rangel's seat, that is how the party wants and has wanted things for the past forty years. The fun will come after Mr. Rangel wins this election and indicates he is not going to seek re-election. That is when you are probably going to see some heavy weight candidates from the AA and Latino/Hispanic community come out in force.
Again NYC and to an extent NYS has historically some of the highest voter apathy levels in the country. Primary elections which determine who is on the ballot come November tend to have such low turn out you wonder why bother. It is really only the die hard members of each party that come out to vote in NYC primaries. That usually favors incumbents, as by the time general election rolls around they are often the only *serious* candidate on the ballot. Mr. Rangel like other Congresspersons from NYS faces no real challenge from an opposition candidate, so ....
African Americans in NYC as elsewhere tend to vote for whomever they see as first and foremost bringing all sorts of dollars to their district. Then there is again a matter of ethnic pride especially for Harlem. You notice no serious African American Democrat made a play for Mr. Rangel's seat, that is how the party wants and has wanted things for the past forty years. The fun will come after Mr. Rangel wins this election and indicates he is not going to seek re-election. That is when you are probably going to see some heavy weight candidates from the AA and Latino/Hispanic community come out in force.
Agree on all points.
Minorities are far worse than whites when it comes to primaries...And that's saying a lot because whites are pretty damn bad too.
Only a sliver of the American public are choosing our politicians. This has to change if we want decent governance.
Minorities are far worse than whites when it comes to primaries...And that's saying a lot because whites are pretty damn bad too.
Only a sliver of the American public are choosing our politicians. This has to change if we want decent governance.
Quite honestly seeing Mr. Rangel drooling and rambling on via the media makes one wonder why this man doesn't simply give it up? It isn't like he hasn't had good innings and surely must be weary of the toll politics takes upon one. Even Dingle and other senior congressmen have retired and or are going to do so.
One can only assume Mr. Rangel wants to some how not leave office while the legacy of scandal is still attached and fresh in person's minds. Then there is the pride/benefit of being an AA politician holding office with the first member of that race as POTUS, something Mr. Rangel and others of that group have held as a long cherished goal.
Obama has deported more illegal immigrants than the last two Republican presidents. Try again mountainrose!!! I seriously don't know where conservatives get their false information from...
False information - I am an Independent
False information - it has been practically open borders with Obama -- too much proof to document here, try to read news besides the liberal propaganda and you will be better informed. I just moved from a border state, it has gotten way worse under Obama.
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11 ethics violations and the guy is still living off the public
