Well, for better or worse, the African American population in general in the U.S.A., and the country at large, is in for it now. The election is over and elections have consequences. Mr. Trump got at least 75% of the white vote, particularly from suburban White women, and a significant uptick from young Black men 45 years old and under, and a real uptick in the vote of Hispanic men. Mrs. Harris got over 80% of the Black vote, but that was clearly not as substantial as it has been in other elections.
The Trump reign of the conmen will begin again in a few days. Already there are serious signs of bad things to come. Mr. Trump has nominated a caustic crew of cabinet nominees, many of whom will have a very difficult time passing required personnel background checks in order to be trusted with security information and state secrets. Some may be barred by not getting U.S. Senate confirmation, but the vast majority of those Mr. Trump nominated will get through as expected, whether qualified or not.
Will that be a real problem for the continuing quest by African Americans to fit in as real Americans who deserve respect and dignity in the U.S.? Most likely, that quest will have very harsh weather for at least the next four years. Mr. Trump, will, however, appoint a few smiling Black faces in do-nothing places (already, he has nominated a Black Secretary of Housing and Urban Development).
More seriously, there is the real possibility that the new Trump administration will close down the Department of Education, for example. That would be a disaster for HBCUs as well as other educational initiatives. It would most likely mean the return of full-grown school segregation, complete with mainly poverty-prone schools for African American children. Whatever is left of Head Start and other such initiatives would fade to black rather quickly. That’s a road backward that we really don’t need to travel.
Can there be a political recovery by the Democratic Party before utter devastation and havoc befalls African Americans in particular, and most Americans in general? Since the Republican Party is now welded to Project 2025 (contrary to public denials), the oligarchic tendrils of big money will now, seemingly, have free unregulated reign in the country for the next few years at least, maybe longer. The “gilded age “ people will rule the roost again and those not in the wealth club will see little public benefit from the government, especially including regulatory protection.
That is not a prediction of doom and gloom, however, It is simply a prognostication of a likely scenario. My advice to Black folk is, we need to spend more time seriously strengthening our ties with the new 21st century Africa and dual-citizenship opportunities. We need to keep our options open, given that those who have dreamed of going back to the days of corn and sugarcane, may now get their wish, if only briefly.
Politics is still a very strange bedfellow, and those who leave all their eggs in that particular basket should prepare once more to be fried.
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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