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Summary:

Democrats are becoming increasingly concerned about a possible drop in Black voter turnout for the 2024 presidential election, according to party insiders. The worries arise from a 10% decrease in Black voter turnout in the 2022 midterms compared to 2018, a more substantial decline than any other racial or ethnic group, as per a Washington Post analysis. The decline was particularly significant among younger and male Black voters in crucial states like Georgia, where Democrats aim to mobilize Black voter support for President Biden in 2024.

The Democratic party has acknowledged the need to bolster their outreach efforts to this demographic. W. Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voter Project, highlighted the need for Democrats to refocus their attention on Black male voters, who have shown lower levels of engagement. In response, Biden's team has pledged to communicate more effectively about the benefits that the Black community has reaped under Biden's administration, according to Cedric L. Richmond, a senior advisor at the Democratic National Committee.

However, Black voter advocates have identified deep-seated issues affecting Black voter turnout. Many Black men reportedly feel detached from the political process and uninspired by both parties' policies. Terrance Woodbury, CEO of HIT Strategies, a polling firm, suggests that the Democratic party's focus on countering Trump and Republican extremism doesn't motivate younger Black men as much as arguments focused on policy benefits. Concerns are growing within the party that if they fail to address these issues, disenchanted Black voters might either abstain or, potentially, be swayed by Republican messaging on certain key issues.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/2577999

This summer has emerged as the warmest in recorded history, following last year's record-breaking levels of global fossil fuel consumption which continue to escalate the climate crisis. Amid this alarming scenario, former President Barack Obama and his top White House strategist, David Axelrod, have taken to public platforms to decry climate inaction, despite their past contributions to the exacerbation of this crisis. The pair chose to escalate fossil fuel production during their time in power rather than prioritize climate policy, even as they enjoyed a significant influx of campaign donations from the oil and gas industry. Obama's 2018 boast about the unprecedented fossil fuel boom under his presidency, advised by Axelrod, highlights the contradiction between their past actions and their current advocacy for climate action.

While they now publicly advocate for climate policy, their refusal to acknowledge their past contributions to the climate crisis stands in stark contrast. This posturing risks rendering their recent statements as mere lip service, undermining the accountability needed for the United States to adhere to its climate commitments. This contradiction was underscored this week when President Joe Biden acknowledged climate change as an "existential threat," but refrained from declaring a climate emergency or limiting fossil fuel extraction. This strategy, initially adopted by Obama and Axelrod, could potentially be reformed if they were to openly accept their past roles in escalating the crisis and used their significant influence to advocate for stronger action from Biden and other Democratic leaders to adhere to the Paris Agreement.

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