African Americans In The 1970s

From the 1950s through the 1970s blacks were among the most liberal Americans, in fact, more liberal than whites on most issues. In the 1980s, a shift began as African Americans moved toward the center. Blacks have continued to moderate their views, as they have become more affluent and have elected more blacks to political office. A growing political clout has prompted African Americans to take on more mainstream views. Political surveys of Americans from the 1970s to the 2000s show that blacks are not as liberal as they once were. Today, fewer black favor increasing government spending on welfare assistance programs. A national survey of African Americans conducted in 1996 found that about 60 percent of blacks favored welfare reform,

The Democratic Party is not as radical as civil rights groups have been on issues blacks care about such as unemployment, poverty and educational opportunities. Although radical blacks still believe inequality is rooted in institutional discrimination and favor race-oriented policy solutions, the Democratic Party supports a race-neutral, issue-oriented approach. The Democratic Party’s economic agenda is fairly moderate, backing tax cuts for middle class voters, which can come at the expense of assistance programs for the poor. Thirteen black House members, or 34 percent of the Congressional Black Caucus, voted to adopt Obama’s tax compromise that extended the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest, and adds billions to the federal deficit. The Congressional Black Caucus generally opposed the Bush tax cuts. President Obama supported the War on Terror and keeping troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, but with specific withdrawal dates. It is remembered that Martin Luther King was an early foe of the Vietnam War, and blacks were among the early critics of the Iraq War. Under President Obama, blacks are less critical of issue like