When a stranger visit an agricultural community and see women selling and buying food items, it is easy to classify the women and their livelihood as traders. This is because the women are seen buying and selling at the market place all day. The truth of the matter is that they are traditional farmers. While their husbands and other family members tend to the crops, the women only come to the market place to exchange goods so that they can purchase what they lack or do not produce. The point here is that people do not pursue what they are have already, but go after what they need even if it is through a different platform.
Black America is still one of the most conservative groups of people in America, especially the older ones. They are God fearing and church going, they are against abortion and homosexuality, they tend to stick to their traditional ways even if it was a method to survive adversity, they still stick to their traditional foods even if they are considered unhealthy, and they still believe in family even though the man maybe absent. If this is the case, why then, do Blacks vote Democrat?
The Republican Party claims to be conservative because they stand for family, God, morality, do not support gay or abortion rights, and believe in tradition and heritage. The difference between their conservatism and Black conservatism is that they have power, wealth, influence, and they do not want any system to change their advantage. The Blacks on the other hand lacks all these things and have no advantage. The only advantage they seem to have is civil rights and affirmative action, which is actually a hand out from the government to make up for their lack and disadvantage. You would expect two conservative groups to be best of friends, but it is not so between the Republicans and the Blacks. The conservatism of the Republicans is to maintain their culture, way of life, and most importantly to maintain their economic and political status. Black conservatism is more religious than cultural, but a little bit of both. They feel that is what the Bible said and so be it. Blacks are the true American conservatives but why do they vote Democrat?
Black America already knew God, they already know morality, they will always reject abortion and homosexuality, they are the conservatives, but they are in search of economic and political relevance. As long as the Republicans are in power and are interested in keeping things the way they are, the Blacks will never achieve economic and political relevance. Despite the fact that the Democrats are a little too liberal on some morale issues, many Blacks perceive them as the vehicle to attaining true freedom, equality, and opportunity. The conservatism of the Republicans helps make laws or create a system that hinders Black progress, while the liberalism of Democrats promotes acceptance and tolerance for various groups to excel, be it good or bad.
Just as it is easy to call trading farmers traders, so it is easy to call Blacks liberals. Blacks are one of the most traditional and conservative people. If the Republican Party can find a way to make laws and systems that encourages Black political relevance and economic significance, they can be sure to win every election in the United States. Black America will always vote for God, morality, and tradition as long as they do not have to worry about equality and survival. This could be the reason why many Blacks become Republicans when money and influence is no longer an issue. So far, may be the Democratic Party is the way to the relevance Blacks desire because they already have God and morality.