Some guys like to compare the racist past of Democrats with the racist past AND present of Republicans. Obviously those two aren’t the same thing. The point isn’t that, in the past, Republicans have had racists among them–it’s that they still have racists among them whom they venerate.

People don’t begrudge Robert Byrd for being in the Klan, because he’s repeatedly apologized for it. Helms, never once, apologized for being a segregationist. Jerry Falwell lauded apartheid in the 1980s–not in the 1960s. That Moseley-Braun episode happened in the 90s, not in the 60s. Trent Lott lauded the segregationist platform of Strom Thurmond this decade, not three decades ago.

Meanwhile George Wallace, not only recanted his segregationist views, but actually appointed a record number of blacks in his last term. Anyone can be a bigot, because bigotry is at its root, simply ignorance. But to revel in it, to make your bigotry just is dishonest and dishonorable. Furthermore, the “Democrats are racist too” defense is weak, as it simply changes the subject. Either venerating Helms is wrong or it isn’t. Saying the Dems have bigots among them is a dodge that doesn’t answer the charge.

Another opinions occur the idea claim that the Democratic party minimizes rather than maximizes black political clout. Blacks as a voting bloc are largely taken for granted, and gerrymandering majority-black districts has only ensured that there is essentially a fixed number of black politicians in the House who are also virtually unelectable at the state level.
Of course, the next question is, where are blacks who vote Democratic supposed to go? I think you have a point about the gerrymandered districts, but I think the question you have to ask yourself is about representation, if the seats were not gerrymandered, you’d end up most likely with white politician who cared about black issues.

I simply don’t think of blacks voting for Democrats as fealty, but support for a movement that does more for them than the other party. It’s nowhere near perfect, but then again, the Democratic party isn’t a perfect venue for anybody, just simply better than the other side if you are a Democrat. I have my problems with the party, but we all do. It is somewhat insulting, it seems, to think of it as “fealty” as though it is a mindless attachment. When Republicans give blacks a reason to be Republicans, then maybe they will be, but I think Hilzoy and Ta-Nehisi just pointed out why that simply won’t be the case for a long time.

When do I think Republicans will care about black votes? When they are forced to electorally. If the Democratic coallition of young voters, black voters, hispanic voters, and the urban upper middle class (Creative Class as Richard Florida would say) becomes the dominant coallition in America for an extended period of time, then maybe they’ll start to care. I’m not going to hold my breath though.