This column is being written on Monday, Nov. 3 the day before the election. I voted for the incumbent Gov. Corbett but did no active campaigning. I am stating openly who I voted for mainly because that is what I have done for over 50 years.
There are those who are so proud to proclaim they are a registered Democrat or Republican. In my lifetime I have been registered in both political parties, but I have always described myself as a Black American, before any political affiliation.
Is there a real difference between Tom Corbett and Tom Wolf? If there is do you know what’s the difference? Have you made a concerted effort to find out, if not why not? Do you vote for any Democrat? Do you support a candidate because your union tells you to? The polls regularly tell you who is in the lead, does that influence your vote? If you are seeking changes do you have any idea what changes you are seeking? In your mind do you truly believe that there is a political party that is driven to help the working class persons, union and non-union, Blacks, immigrants, and homosexuals? Does the party support the military, religious efforts, business and marijuana legislation?
I have known a multitude of individuals in my political experiences that are blindly loyal to their political party. Are you a voter who would not vote for your brother or sister if the party did not endorse them? Would you absolutely refuse to vote for a Black highly qualified candidate if they were on the Republican ticket or not endorsed by the Democratic Party?
The last four years Pennsylvania has had a Republican governor, Tom Corbett. Did your quality of life improve or worsen? What did Corbett fail to address that you believed would have been a positive for you, your family and friends. Have you ever written the governor’s office, your state representative or senator? If you haven’t, how have you attempted to register your dissatisfaction?
Prior to Corbett becoming governor a Democrat Ed Rendell had been the governor of Pennsylvania for eight years. What was your situation in those years? Were they years of plenty? Did the tremendous numbers of Blacks being unemployed, incarcerated, denied contract opportunities, not afforded the opportunity to become police become resolved? Once again I am compelled to ask you, did you complain or did you just accept it?
All my adult life I have advocated for sophisticated voting, self pride, entrepreneurial pursuit, do for self, and that there is not a dime’s worth of differences between the political parties, and that nothing will change until we collectively make it change.
Kingsley Association needs your financial support.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum page.)
