Serious question: What does the CBC actually help us with?

[PortCityProphet]

I've been thinking lately how representation without power is meaningless.
And it brings me back to the Congressional Black Caucus. What have they done for us? Are they even useful for black citizens? I see Sheila Jackson, Maxine Waters, Jimmy Clyburn etc always at a podium or infront of a mic saying this and that about whatever the news of the time is but yall been in the same positions for 40 years what have yall been doing?

So can somebody put me on game please.
Im here to learn.

Thank you.

 

[mastermind]

They help their freinds get on, but for the black community, they offer little to nothing except a black face to rubberstamp establishment Democratic policy.

 

[Macallik86]

Someone more educated can speak to it. My personal understanding is that if an individual voice is popular, they should carry the message to allow it to go further (this allows opportunists like Al Sharpton to still be useful in the grand scheme of things) and conversely, if multiple individuals have a voice that doesn't project the message well enough, they should combine forces to make their message carry further.

Even amongst the black community, I'm more likely to hear a message if it comes from the CBC as opposed to a random black congressperson outside of my district

 

[Broke Wave]

Nothing OP

 

[JFK2TAB]

They’re are part of the Democratic Party caucus. They make up nearly a quarter of the Democratic Party.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

I've been thinking lately how representation without power is meaningless.
And it brings me back to the Congressional Black Caucus. What have they done for us? Are they even useful for black citizens? I see Sheila Jackson, Maxine Waters, Jimmy Clyburn etc always at a podium or infront of a mic saying this and that about whatever the news of the time is but yall been in the same positions for 40 years what have yall been doing?

So can somebody put me on game please.
Im here to learn.

Thank you.

I used to feel this way until you realize that they help edit a LOT of bills that would have completely ignored us.

When you see their impact locally from money they get sent back to things that open up in terms of contracts and jobs, they do a lot.

They're definitely under appreciated.

its frustrating because they're ONLY like 9% of congress, but they hold a lot of weight

 

[NZA]

lately, all i can think of them is as the only voting bloc that can attack the left with some sense of moral authority.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

They help their freinds get on, but for the black community, they offer little to nothing except a black face to rubberstamp establishment Democratic policy.

They bring attention to a lot of shyt that would get ignored. When you're only 9% of congress, you tend to realize how little power you have.

 

[acri1]

They're 9% of Congress.

What is it that they have the power to do that you want them to do?


I don't get why people think a small group has unlimited power.

 

[Broke Wave]

They're 9% of Congress.

What is it that they have the power to do that you want them to do?


I don't get why people think a small group has unlimited power.

What % of Congress is the Manchin and Sinema Caucus?

 

[acri1]

What % of Congress is the Manchin and Sinema Caucus?

I can't help but notice you didn't answer the question.

Are Manchin/Sinema supposed to be some sort of model for how the CBC should behave? I'm sure the CBC could obstruct the Dems too if they wanted, but I don't see how that would be helpful.

 

[mastermind]

I'm sure the CBC could obstruct the Dems too if they wanted, but I don't see how that would be helpful.

look at what you just said, and really think about it.


Honestly, we need to stop depending on elected leaders to do whats right because they are good people. Everyone that wants to be part of the political machine wants to have good-paying jobs. The CBC, or whomever, won't do shyt until we force it.

 

[Broke Wave]

I can't help but notice you didn't answer the question.

Are Manchin/Sinema supposed to be some sort of model for how the CBC should behave? I'm sure the CBC could obstruct the Dems too if they wanted, but I don't see how that would be helpful.

How about they try obstructing the expansion of the military industrial complex or droning random innocent people across the globe?

 

[PortCityProphet]

They're 9% of Congress.

What is it that they have the power to do that you want them to do?


I don't get why people think a small group has unlimited power.

Who said anything about unlimited power?

I just want to know what they have done?
Finally make Juneteenth a holiday? And that only came as a crumb for G Floyd getting murdered and one more holiday is one less day these fukks in DC gotta work so I can see why it passed.

I just want some concretes of their purpose. Cause as far as my political intelligence stretches they like the dips they dont do shyt

 

[EndDomination]

They act as a collective voice for policies from centrist Black politicians.

Occasionally, that is a good thing.

The biggest issue with the CBC are it's members - they're not particularly radical, not even progressive - and are largely concerned with holding the line for the Democratic Party rather than brute-forcing policies for the betterment of the African-American community.