Listening to audio of Dan Proft and Kirk Dillard on WVON this week

You can listen here. Courtesy of the Dan Proft 2010 campaign.

Let me be honest here. I have flirted with outright declaring myself a Republican. You can go back far enough on this blog and there will be some evidence that I have attempted to align myself in that fashion.

It's very unlikely that you will find that these days. I may still hold views that are considered conservative or even libertarian. Most of the time I just attempt to be practical with a certain does of common sense. That's the way to tackle most issues but most look at it with an ideological viewpoint.

Perhaps the reason why I would never go through with being a member of the GOP is the fact that they aren't particularly aggressive in pursuing black supporters. They aren't in the community espousing their message and sometimes their message to the black community may leave a lot wanting. That is what could the Republican Party offer to blacks that the Democrats couldn't offer.

That message is missing. In fact I think I tried to explain that position on a mostly conservative board once and I got shouted down. I became a whiner and a supporter of welfare and I'm the last person who supports that.

Dan Proft is probably close to a message that should resonate with Blacks. His message of reforming the public schools (especially in terms of funding) or otherwise unfixing Illinois to allow for economic opportunity for everyone (especially for entrepreneurial efforts) is a good message for Blacks. The only question is whether or not the Black community could listen, especially to a Republican.

With all due respect to Kirk Dillard, I'm sure black school children are responsive to the history lesson. Ultimately it's their parents who are doing the voting and also whether or not they would listen to the fact that for many years Blacks voted for the party of Abraham Lincoln (who was a Republican). I have my doubts that they would and I would say that state Sen. Dillard and other Republicans should be very mindful of creating a message that will resonate with blacks.

This audio was very good because Dillard and Proft talked about a variety of issues. As I type this Proft & Dillard are talking about CTA, certainly an issue that many blacks are keeping an eye on if they don't drive. Either way the GOP should be talking about issues of concern to at least urban Blacks and go from there.

Yeah talk about all the history that is necessary, but also focus on the here and now! If the Republicans can ever do that and eventually gain a foothold in Black communities. Indeed even find ways to elect Blacks as Republicans to office in Illinois they can count me as a supporter one day. At this moment, it's very unlikely.

Also the other Republican candidates, especially Bill Brady who paid a visit to the nearby Chatham Market during the fall on a jobs tour, need to come to WVON and talk directly to the station's predominantly black listeners!