8 chapters across the catalog
Kamala Harris has stated that her policies will not exclusively target Black Americans, arguing instead that what benefits Black families will naturally benefit society as a whole. This stance has frustrated activists who argue that Black voters lack leverage because their support is treated as a "captured" demographic. The discussion emphasizes the need for a flexible voting block, similar to the shifting Hispanic demographic, to force tangible political concessions.
The hosts discuss the necessity of being pragmatic and strategic with the Black vote, comparing the demand for reparations to "amnesty" for immigrants or "Roe v. Wade" for activists. They argue that voting should be based on "tangibles" and leverage rather than emotional loyalty to a party that does not provide a return on the investment.
Farrakhan argues that Black leaders often "sell out" their people for positions of minor influence. Mo Facts uses this to analyze the modern relationship between Black voters and the Democratic Party, noting that when Black people ask for tangibles like reparations, they are labeled as "Black bots" or told they "ain't Black." He suggests that asking for reparations reveals the true nature of political allies.
Mo Fax explains how the term "Black Lives Matter" allows for moving goalposts, shifting focus from black men to other agendas like trans rights or global warming. He argues that black men are used as a "loss leader" to get political movements through the door. The hosts discuss how the selection of Kamala Harris as VP was a "big ask" that prioritized gender over the plight of black men.
The hosts conclude that the "black man vote" has become the "crown jewel" of the 2020 election. They argue that the segment of the population that refused to vote in 2016 now holds the most power, as both parties are desperate to "activate" them. They encourage listeners to "get on code" and recognize their leverage against establishment talking heads like Roland Martin and Karen Hunter.
Dr. Claude Anderson's philosophy on politics as a system of "quid pro quo" is discussed. The hosts note the irony of the term becoming a "dirty word" due to the Trump-Ukraine scandal, while arguing that black voters should embrace the concept to ensure their support results in tangible benefits.
The segment explores the idea of black voters withholding their votes as a form of political leverage. Data from the 2016 election shows a 7% drop in black voter turnout, which the hosts argue is the only way to force the Democratic Party to take ADOS demands seriously. They discuss how the primary schedule, starting in the South, is designed to create early momentum for preferred candidates.
The ADOS movement's strategy is not necessarily to vote for Republicans, but to withhold the black vote as leverage against the Democratic establishment. This shift in behavior is a rejection of the "duty to vote" narrative passed down by older generations. The presence of candidates like Kamala Harris at the Essence Festival highlights the Democratic Party's attempt to maintain its grip on this essential voting bloc through cultural signaling.
