As the Political landscape on the Democratic Party shifts in this Presidential cycle to the South, and more specific, higher concentration of Black voters, you hear all the Media pundits and broadcast journalists talk about how much Clinton and Sanders are pandering to the needs of the community. Trying to make their case at being the best champion for the causes of Black people. It’s amazing to me to hear Hillary Clinton and her surrogates talk about her like she’s been the bastion of hope for Black Americans.

Again, I’m not saying she wouldn’t do a good job, but lets not forget that it was her husband, and also her to a large degree with her support, that put into place these sorry ass laws that disproportionally target the Black community in the war on drugs. How many young black men are in jail for minor drug charges, while so many White American are running around laughing at the justice system.

I’m not saying that Bernie Sanders has all the answers, but he is a man who has been abdicating for reform of the prison system, along with President Obama, before Secretary Clinton got on the band wagon. I heard John Lewis and other prominent leaders in Congress of the Black Community talk about how dedicated and fervent a partner Hillary and Bill Clinton have been to the community. While I do agree that they’ve done many good works for the community, I can’t forget the drug policies and the Defense of Marriage Act signed by Bill during his time as president.

I want America to hear me well, this courting of the Black vote is only because they’re about to hit the states that Black folks live in the most and have a say so in the electoral process. It has been funny watching Hillary Clinton pander to the record of President Obama; while I’ve also enjoyed Bernie Sanders try to cling to Obama and also speak to the young people who feel outrage at the current political structure.

We must realize though, that we marginalize our impact every election cycle, because we don’t truly leverage our power enough by voting. We don’t seem to be engaged truly in the process and therefore, Republicans dismiss our vote and some Democrats just put it in the automatic column when they run, because that’s who we typically vote for a vast majority of the time.

I’m a liberal Democrat and I don’t believe that the current Republican party has a damn to offer me as a Black man. They’re policies are antiquated and out dated. They are still wanting the rich to benefit more than the Middle Class. They don’t want gays to have equal rights and they still want to suppress the Black vote if possible.

We must put pressure on the Democratic Party to push for our needs. To use our power to get the Black agenda forwarded. We, just like the Latino community and the Gay community have the numbers to affect change. But, we just don’t use it enough to let the world know just how serous we are. Damn it’s time we show the world just how much of a player we are in this process.