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Truth be told, you would have thought that by now, in
the year 2017, a city having a nigh majority vote on an
urban city council, those members would be deep in the woods
regarding advancing a smart agenda of political and economic
development that positively impacts upon our underdeveloped
minority community.
Alas, and to date, it has not been our good fortune to
have such council members with both the sagacity and the
fortitude to come together and work together for the benefit
of their constituents and the city as a whole.
After all, if you fix the broken arm, the leg and the
back will also be happy, happy that an injury to the body
has been remedied.
Or, is it just me, a chattering relic from the past
times of the tumultuous 60's and 70's in which political
power was both understood and utilized, that maybe I expect
too much of our mayor and five minority council members?
If and when the day comes that we do not have a black
mayor and such a large minority presence on council and we
start to gripe and moan about not having any clout on
council, these lost years will be memorialized as an, "Oh,
what could have been moment!"
To understand the big picture of what is or what is not
happening in Toledo with the seeming lack of vigor and
productivity of our mayor and the five city council members,
I thought it best to get the input of someone who has a
stellar record of studying the stultifying effects of people
of color getting political power and then not knowing what
to do with it.
So, as fate or luck would have it, I did a little on
line research and found a renowned and published expert in
this very field of political and economic empowerment.
Dr. Cornell Brauggher is a distinguished professor
emeritus at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.
He has published over 40 folios and has authored five
books on the subject of minority involvement in the urban
city political process. Twice, he has been awarded by Yale
University the highest honor in the combined studies of
economic and political research, which is the Forttin-Craft
Award.
Dr. Brauggher has served on over 11 Fortune 500
companies board of directors and is a past advisor to
Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama. He currently lectures at
both Stanford University and his alma mater, Morehouse
College.
His most recent book is entitled: "The Urban Negro
Politician: Promising or Clueless?"
Dr. Brauggher was gracious enough take time out of his
busy schedule to submit to a phone interview with ANNN. What
follows below is a snippet of that interview:
ANNN:
Doctor, thank you for taking time for this interview. It is
most appreciated!
Dr. Brauggher: Hi, Lafe...glad to help out in any way I can.
So, what can I do for your listeners?
ANNN:
Doctor, I know you are a busy man so I will get directly to
the point. In your recent book you made the interesting
statement, "That until the black politician takes ownership
of his or her political office and treats it as a means of
economic and political leverage for his constituents, he or
she will always be a pawn of one of the two dominant
political parties and will do their bidding acting as an
obedient politico who only wants to get re-elected."
That is both a powerful and accusatory statement!
Dr. Brauggher (slight laugh). It was meant to be! My
extensive research has informed me that too many minority
politicians are duck soup happy just being elected and
getting a supplemental paycheck. Oftentimes, their role or
service on city council is to simply mimic their white
counterparts and no meaningful legislation is passed under
their signature because they want to play along in order to
get along.
ANNN:
Doctor, in your research, what have you found to be the
characteristics that
prevent a minority member or a black mayor from becoming a
pew sitter as opposed to being an aggressive champion for a
chronically underdeveloped inner city?
Dr. Brauggher: I am glad you asked that question.
Overwhelmingly, the scientific data indicates that unless a
black mayor or minority city council members have a strong
sense of self worth and are willing to think out side of the
box and challenge the status quo, nothing of substance gets
accomplished.
ANNN:
Doctor, is it feasible or
realistic for minority members of an urban city council to
attempt to reach for political and economic power when they
are in a city that has a majority of white voters?
Dr. Brauggher: Absolutely! Our research has shown that any
voter, white or black, appreciates and applauds a well
thought-out agenda that allows everyone to rise as one.
When you exclusively apply some of the resources of the city
to certain underdeveloped' areas, that has the proven
results to boost and benefit everyone in terms of reduction
of crime, the strengthening of the family, strong schools
and rising property values. It is a win-win!
ANNN:
Well then, if that is the case, why do some minority
politicos in urban areas shy away from such planning and
implementation knowing that it will benefit the entire city?
Dr. Brauggher: Regrettably, unless a politico comes to the
office already groomed either from a past positive
mentorship or is self educated as to the role of the urban
politician, you will get politicos who simply do not know
why they are in those positions of influence and power; and
they waste it (the power of the office) because they simply
do not know what to do or how to get help in order to know
what they are supposed to do!
ANNN:
Doctor, what are your recommendations to help out "newbies"
to this scenario who want to strike out and make a
difference but are simply flummoxed on how to do it?
Dr. Brauggher: Simple. Five Rules: (1) regularly meet with
your fellow minority politicos; (2) strategize and issue
position papers; (3) obtain a grant writer to obtain initial
funding for the proposals or projects; (4) constantly engage
your voters as to what you are doing and why and (5) don't
give in to the nay sayers who say it can't be done. If you
falter, get up and get both feet moving again!
If they are not willing to be aggressive and step on
some toes and take risks, their influence is nil and they
demonstrate that they are not needed on council or in the
mayor's chair because they can be easily replaced, without
being missed, with a similar do nothing white counterpart!
ANNN:
Thanks, Doctor. Your expert advice has been invaluable!
Contact Lafe Tolliver at
tolliver@juno.com
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