Michael Steele is the fall guy

I often have Political Journalist Raynard Jackson, other commentators, and articles from periodicals on this blog. And will do so with the below commentary about Michael Steele. But before I let Raynard speak on the trials and tribulations of the former Maryland LT. Governor Michael Steele, I thought that I would talk about my many talks and my understanding of Michael Steele.

Michael Steele just crept onto the national scene as the newly elected/appointed Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Steele is often criticized by African-Americans Democrats as being a Republican Party patsy, or a sell-out, an oreo, and any other negative name that you can think of resembling a traitor. However, I happen to personally know Michael Steele. I have had the honor of speaking with him in depth on several occasions:
1. 2008 Democratic Convention
2. 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Convention
3. 2008 New Hampshire Primary.
Also, as Operations Supervisor of the Syndication One News-Talk Network, I invited Michael Steele on the radio shows of both Warren Ballentine and Al Sharpton.

Michael Steele may be a patsy for the Republican Party, but Steele is not a sell-out nor an orea, and I can assure you that Steele has the best interest of Black America in heart and mind.

Michael Steele has yet to impress the millions of Republican followers of the late Congressman Strom Thurman, and Strom's proteges' Lee Atwater and Karl Rove's southern-style politics, commonly labeled as extreme "Right-Wing" Republicans...not to mention its' accompaning extreme right radio programs. Most noted Black Republican leaders and radio talk show hosts/commentators, have followed Thurman's principals to the point where they even back the ideology of extreme Southern right-wingers on national media outlets, to the detriment of non-Republican African-Americans. For instance, Rubert Murdoch's New York Post cartoon picture a month back with the depiction of the President as a monkey, killed by two policemen, is considered to many Black Republicans as "not" a racial cartoon picture.

Black Republican spokesmen and women unrelentently touted that our President is a communist, without mention of the Constitution itself clearly stating to "promote the general welfare" on behalf of the country. Republican leaders should understand that if their party allows major Financial institutions, Oil companies, and Health Insurance companies to rip off America, then the Government has a right to step in to save the American Economy by any means. For far too long, most Black Republicans have spewed hatred about Black people in general; the Black President specifically; and reek havoc on Black civil rights leaders on a regular basis. It is as if they are following segregationist like Stroman, Atwater, and Rove politics to the tee.

Michael Steele is not one of those Black Republicans you commonly see on the Cable News channels and hear on Conservative talk radio stations, or crinch at the Republican campaign messages of the past 40 years.

In short, Michael Steele a Lincoln-Republican. The same Lincoln-Republican party that your Great-Grandfather was a part of, that believed in freedom for all. Steele's return to the Lincoln-Republican ideology is the fight that he faces with his own Republican party. It is also the fight to remove the stigma of the many Black Republican sell-outs, we have seen and heard far too long.

For my African-American readers, Michael Steele wants you to have the money, power, education, and community ownership that you un-abatedly and rightfully have earned. Steele wants to free up more Bank loans for aspiring Black business entrepreneurs to start their own business, and to propell those established Black businesses to the next level. Statistically Black businesses hire more Black people than other groups, and Steele dreams of that self sufficient Black community that does not have to rely on others that do not have the best interest of African-Americans upward mobility.

I have gone on far too long. I will let Raynard Jackson, a Lincoln-Republican, tell his side of the same story in a different insider way.


March 19, 2009

Michael Steele The One
by Raynard Jackson

Michael Steele, the new head of the Republican Party, has been in office less than 50 days and he is already being set up to be the fall guy for the state of the party. On Friday, he will be criticized for the anemic fundraising numbers for March. Mind you that he became chairman on Friday, January 30 around 5:00 p.m.

He will be blamed if Republicans lose the March 31 special house election. The seat became vacant when NY governor, David Paterson (D), appointed then congressman, Kirsten Gillibrand (D) to fill the vacant senate seat of Hillary Clinton (she was picked by President Obama to become Secretary of State).

Now, let’s add a little context to the picture. As with any new chairman, Steele asked for the resignation of all the employees of the Republican National Committee. During the month of February, he had his transition team do a top-down review of the entire operation of the committee and to make recommendations on how to better run the organization.

Earlier this month, Steele began to announce his senior staffers. April will probably be the first month that he will have anything resembling a full compliment of senior level staffers in place. Then he has to hire staff to fill out the rest of the committee.

Now, let’s talk about the real problem. The problem is not Steele (though he has made his share of unforced errors). The problem is the Republican Party! You can have the best party chairman in the world, but if the people don’t like the product or service you are offering, then the support will not be there.

Conservatives represent about 30% of the Republican Party, but exercise a disproportionate amount of influence within the party. Even if all 20 million of Limbaugh’s listeners voted Republican, it is not enough to win a national election.

So, when Michael made his comments about abortion in GQ magazine, he was being pragmatic. I have known Michael for close to 20 years and he has always been pro life. But what amazes me about my more conservative friends who went apoplectic at Steele’s comments is: they are quick to say that he is a party chairman who happens to be Black (not a Black party chairman). But, when it comes to ideology, these same people claim that he is a conservative chairman not a chairman who happens to be conservative. What hypocrisy. So, let’s get this straight, Steele is only chairman of 30% of the party and not the remaining 70%? This is the fundamental problem with the party, either you agree with us (the 30%) on all the issues that we care about or you are not welcome in our party (the 70%).

Michael understands that he must bridge this gap in order to put together a winning coalition. That’s what he was trying to say (however ineptly) in the GQ story. Most of the large contributions to the RNC come from pro-choice Republican corporate executives, not conservatives. They tend to give in smaller amounts and account for a good portion of the direct mail contributors ($ 10 and $ 20 amounts).

If the Republican Party was run like a business, it would be bankrupt. One of the keys to any business’s longevity is the ability to adapt to the ever changing business climate. Like Blacks within the Democratic Party, conservatives act very emotionally sometimes and not strategic.

After the 1990 census Republicans joined with Democrats in pushing for more Black and Hispanic congressional districts, thereby guaranteeing a Republican takeover of congress in 1994. So, minorities got what they wanted but at the cost of their majority in the house and senate. Similarly with conservatives, you mention abortion and they lose their minds. As a Republican candidate, conservatives would much rather see you lose if you are not pro-life; rather than see you win if you agree with them on 80% of the issues.

When McDonald’s Hamburgers open stores in China, they adjust their menu to reflect cultural differences. That’s just smart business. But, Republicans would go to China and tell them they have to change their culture to fit the Republican approach to business.

Changing this mindset is going to be Michael’s biggest challenge. He understands the necessity of broadening the party. As with any change, there are winners and losers. Those losers are the source of most of these anonymous quotes in the media and they are hell-bent on tarnishing Michael’s reputation and weakening his support within the committee. These are the outside consultants who used affirmative action (their relationship with party insiders) to further their own business interests. Michael ended all of these contracts once he became chairman.

Now it’s time to affirm Michael’s actions of creating a new paradigm with fresh faces and new voices. I hope Black Republicans like Lynn Swann (ran for governor of PA), Michael Williams (currently chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission and U.S. senate candidate), will finally speak out and embrace Michaels efforts to change the face of there party. That’s why I support Michael Steele!

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-based political consulting/government affairs firm. You can listen to his radio show every Saturday evening from 7-9:00 p.m. Go to www.ustalknetwork.com to register and then click on host, and then click on his photo to join his group.