lucius-gantt_web.jpgIt’s 2009, and black people are running! Most of us are running for our lives, but many African Americans are already running for elected office in races that won’t take place until 2010.

Since President Barack Obama won his race, more and more African Americans have become interested in seeking public office.
Everybody, it seems, wants to suck on the government breast. They want a government pay check. They want government benefits. They want lobbyist-paid free lunches and dinners.

Most black candidates need black votes to win. What will a candidate have to do to get your vote in the next election?

Will you vote for a candidate who looks “black?” Will you vote for a candidate who acts black? Will you vote for a candidate who talks black?

Or will you vote for candidates who love black people, and will support the black community by standing up and speaking out on issues that are important to black communities?

With so many community candidates running against each other, criticizing each other, and demonizing each other, how can we tell which black candidates are best?

Is the black candidate we know best for us, or is the black candidate “The Man” knows best for us? Is the black candidate who has more campaign dollars best for us, or is that black candidate who spends money with black political professionals, black newspapers and black-owned radio and TV stations best for us?

Whatever candidate you like, don’t “like” them too fast. Blacks are always the first group of voters to endorse and support, and the last group to benefit from endorsements. Politicians of all races, creeds and colors often pose as our friends, pose as our leaders, and pretend to have our best interests at heart, but when they get into office you can’t find them, never see them, and never hear a word from them until the next election time.

I haven’t heard of this much running since I read about runaway slaves!

To me, in a capitalist society, it’s all about the benjamins! I hate contributing money to political campaigns that give all of the money to devilish vendors who hate black people, and only want to rip off black candidates.

One thing about next year’s elections that will always be true: There will be more black candidates who will lose than there will be black candidates who win.

The losers will be unknown, unorganized, unprofessional and unwilling to give black voters the love, respect and appreciation that black people deserve.

Lucius Gantt is a political consultant based in Tallahassee. He is also the founder of All World Consultants and author of the book, Beast Too: Dead Man Writing. Contact him at www.allworldconsultants.net or call 850-222-3475. You can also find him on Facebook.