What Makes Trump so Appealing to a Minority of New York's Black/African American Population?

This references Donald Trump's deportation policies and his goal of a closed/regulated border. This also alludes to underlying racial discrimination where Trumps often generalizes and stereotypes immigrants as illegal and harmful to the state’s economy and safety.

By Hayley Leon

According to recent (Oct. 22nd) polls, a little more than 80% of black voters in New York State are voting for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election [1]. This comes as no surprise; Kamala Harris’ goal it seems is to appeal to the middle class and the less fortunate which are made up of many people of color. She aims to level the playing field in education and entrepreneurship, lower taxes and expand child tax credit. But what about the 19% of stragglers who choose to vote for Trump? Especially when Trump has a history of racism, intentional or not directed not only to black people, but to other minorities. The most recent of which, being the “They’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs” statement during the Presidential Debate which was directed toward Hatian immigrants and ultimately proven false.

Trump's platform’s most notable points include [2]:

Keeping men out of woman’s sports
Strengthening and modernizing the US military
Restoring border security, and deporting millions of illegal immigrants which “Invade our Country”, carrying out the largest deportation in American history
End inflation caused by the Biden administration
Prevent WWIII by restoring peace in the Middle East
Tax cuts for workers
Securing our elections

Now, some of this has a nice ring to it. Inflation has been an issue in the state of New York that many black families complain about and the conflict in the Middle East has been on the minds of many New Yorkers. But some of this reads as either unimportant or ironic. Like, keeping men out of women's sports seems like such a small issue that it's almost laughable compared to the point which precedes it, talking about cutting federal funding of schools pushing a political, racial or sexual agenda onto children. And securing our elections is ironic since Trump denied the election outcome of 2020, and ultimately incited the January 6th White House insurrection. I think the key points to Trump’s policy that attract black voters are tax cuts for workers,ending inflation, and protecting medicare and social security without raising the retirement age; basically his fiscal policy. But Kamala Harris’ fiscal policy offers more support to the black population in need, so why do black families still vote for Trump? It could be that the ~19% who still chose to vote for Trump are on the wealthier side, enough to not care or not be affected by issues he aims to fix, like inflation or tax cuts for workers, and just agree with his other policies.

Running Republican Nominee for Vice President, JD Vance was asked why African Americans should vote for him and he responded by saying that Trump guarantees public safety and an economy that everybody benefits from [3].

Former President Barack Obama shares his point of view at a multi-state campaign tour in Pittsburgh:

He complains that they have “ not yet seen the same kinds of turnout” campaigning for Kamala as they did when he was running. He addresses specifically the black male population, saying that “When you have a choice this obvious…part of it makes me think that you just aren't ‘feeling’ the idea of having a woman as president and you're coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that”[4].

This could apply to New York. Could the reason why there is still support for Trump in the black community be because Kamala Harrisis a black woman and not a black man?

Notes

Mary Radcliffe, “Which Way Are Key Demographic Groups Leaning in the 2024 Election?” ABC News. October 4, 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/538/key-demographic-groups-leaning-2024-election/story?id=114472688.
Donald Trump, 2024 GOP PLATFORM MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
JD Vance, “Why Should African-Americans Vote For Trump-Vance?”, Forbes Breaking News, October 2024, 3 min., 8 sec., https://youtu.be/StHTUm5yyT4?si=KrJPPoaVh_AkLz5o
Barack Obama, “Obama Rips Trump, Chides Black Men over ‘Excuses’ for Not Voting for Harris.” ABC News, October 11, 2024 YouTube, 5 min., 6 sec., https://youtu.be/iJrGR2uf4Io?si=eGijhWI93TP15aBJ.

Bibliography

Vance JD, “Why Should African-Americans Vote For Trump-Vance?”, Forbes Breaking News, October 2024, Youtube, 3 min., 8 sec., https://youtu.be/StHTUm5yyT4?si=KrJPPoaVh_AkLz5o.

“Cartooning for Peace.” 2019. Cartooning for Peace - Dessins Pour La Paix. Cartooning for Peace. July 19, 2019. https://www.cartooningforpeace.org/en/editos/a-racist-in-the-white-house/.

Obama, Barack , “Obama Rips Trump, Chides Black Men over ‘Excuses’ for Not Voting for Harris.” ABC News, October 11, 2024 YouTube, 5 min., 6 sec., https://youtu.be/iJrGR2uf4Io?si=eGijhWI93TP15aBJ.

Radcliffe, Mary. 2024. “Which Way Are Key Demographic Groups Leaning in the 2024 Election?” ABC News. October 4, 2024. https://abcnews.go.com/538/key-demographic-groups-leaning-2024-election/story?id=114472688.

Trump, Donald . n.d. 2024 GOP PLATFORM MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Accessed October 30, 2024.

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