Redefining the Political Norm

NewFounders
Aug 23, 2017 · 7 min read

By Belinda Nam

Because those in power are the ones who write history, American history looks very white and very male. Our Founding Fathers in 1776, the ones responsible for crafting the vision for American politics, were all white males: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. For decades, the people making the rules and legislation have been of the same demographic. This historical narrative excludes populations who don’t fit the manufactured mold, and it continues to impact us today. How have we redefined the political narrative so far? Better yet, how can we continue to redefine this norm so more Americans are included?

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People can (and do) argue that politics looks more progressive now than it did in 1776. Sure, no one can deny the fact that more women and people of color are politically involved than before. There may be objectively more women and people of color politically involved, but statistics show that representation is far from equal because minorities aren’t given the same resources and opportunities that white males are given. We have to think proportionally — it’s not enough to simply look at the numbers. Women and people of color have increased exponentially since the 1700s, so representation-wise, they should have as well.

Women and people of color have increased exponentially since the 1700s, so representation-wise, they should have as well.

We have to consider several questions when seeking fair political representation. Who’s running for office? How many candidates are white? How many non-white individuals are there? How many candidates are female? What unique barriers do minorities face? Who do the constituents vote for? What is the demographic breakdown amongst voters?

The Reflective Democracy Campaign of the Women Donors Network (WDN) helps answer these questions. For one, “Americans can’t elect more women and people of color into office, because they’re not on the ballot.” Why not? Well, the process to run is more complicated than most people may think. On ballots nationwide, 2 of every 3 names belong to a white male. To successfully get on the ballot, you need a wide, efficient network, connections to political networks, the funds to campaign full-time, (which means quitting your job), and you have to be considered electable, which sadly is still widely believed to be white males.

Merely choosing to run already has seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But even if you make it to that point, not everyone who chooses to run makes it on the ballot. Fewer minorities make it on the ballot than their white male opponents. Minorities perceive themselves to be less qualified and less electable than their white male counterparts. Even if minorities are equally qualified compared to white male candidates when it comes to education, experience, and resources, they still believe they are less likely to win. If we want to fight for fair representation in government, we’re going to have to go beyond simply encouraging minorities to run.

The race and gender breakdown amongst elected officials is dismal, regardless of party affiliation. 96% of Republican candidates, 82% of Democratic candidates, and 90% of Independents running are white. Numbers show that 90% of officeholders are white, and men hold 71% of elected offices. The people who are running and successfully making it onto the ballots are predominantly white males; so naturally, they are more likely to be elected. People of color make up 37% of the population, but only 10% of elected officials are nonwhite. Women make up 51% of the population, but only 29% of women hold elected offices. The representation of people of color and women in politics seem sparse when white males dominate federal offices, right? It’s because 31% of our population controls 65% of elected offices. Does that number seem logical?

We need to address and tackle the question: why don’t minorities run? Our previous blog post shared information regarding the barriers minorities, specifically women and women of color, face while running for office. It’s beneficial to society at large to increase governmental representation. The Peterson Institute study on gender diversity “suggest[s] that having a woman in an executive position leads to better performance, with the more women the better.” More studies have shown that having a more diverse board can increase the chances of success within an organization. More issues can be addressed and tackled. Women are more likely to change “structural policies including parental leave, child care, and pay.” People of color are speaking out about the unique injustices our non-white Americans have to face. The WDN surveyed 800 voters nationwide, and the results show that a majority of voters “are concerned about the lack of women and people of color in office.” Regardless of political party, “voters overwhelmingly support policies that help elect more women and people of color.” Representation is crucial in American politics, but currently, we’re not succeeding at it.

A compilation of numbers from the Pew Research Center shows that “whites continue to be disproportionately represented in the voting booth.” There are regular, consistent voters; there are registered, intermittent voters who don’t necessarily vote all the time; there are those who are registered to vote, but it’s rare that they actually cast their vote; and then there are those who are not registered to vote at all. When comparing regular voter statistics, 36% of men are regular voters compared to 34% of women. 37% of regular voters are white; 31% are black; 24% are Hispanic. Although the gaps between demographics may not seem big, the truth is that politics invites a certain group of people over others — and it creates a political norm on whom we expect is running, winning, and voting.

Let’s take a trip back in time to see how politics has developed from then to now — and why white males are still overpowering politics.

It wasn’t until 1870 that we passed the 15th amendment, which granted African-American men the right to vote. It’s important to note that only men were granted this right. Despite this amendment, there were attempts to prevent non-whites from voting through absurd polling taxes and literacy tests. Even though the amendment passed in 1870, it wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that allowed people to challenge restrictions and roadblocks individual states set up to prevent African-Americans from voting.

The first African-American to serve on a political platform was Hiram Rhodes Revels in 1870 during the Reconstruction era. He represented Mississippi as a Republican in the U.S. Congress. Some racist politicians opposed Revels. People attempted to diminish Revels and portray him as unqualified to hold a political position. He focused on civil rights issues “including the integration of schools and equal opportunities for black workers.”

In 2009, Americans elected Barack Obama to be our 44th president. He was our first African-American president, which means the previous forty-three presidents were all white. This isn’t exactly newsworthy, but sometimes we need to emphasize it to recognize how ludicrous it is. We made history by electing Obama, but there’s still a lot of work to do. We need to encourage more minorities to run and to then provide them with necessary resources to succeed.

Women had to fight to get out of the domestic sphere. Susanna Medora Salter was the first female mayor of Kansas in 1887, but ironically, women couldn’t vote until we passed the 19th amendment in 1920. It’s important to note here — that women of color still struggled to vote. The road for suffrage was long and difficult, and it was hard for women to press through the glass ceiling in the political field. Let’s be real, it still is. In 2012, women’s political representation was 78th in the world. Today, America’s political representation is down to 101. This last election, Hillary Clinton was the first woman to secure the president nomination and lead the ticket of the Democratic Party. We still have yet to have a woman president. If you don’t think that’s a big deal, think again. Shouldn’t we challenge the status quo? I don’t want to vote for a presidential nominee merely for the sake of her gender; I want a president that is qualified for the position — and I believe that women are qualified to be president. It wasn’t as if Clinton was unqualified for this position — she was a New York Senator from 2001–2009 and the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009–2013. She had extensive political experience. The popular vote supports this claim since Clinton had over a 2 million-vote advantage. So why has no woman broken this presidential glass ceiling, so to speak?

Currently, politics is mostly vanilla with some sprinkled colors. Men still hold more power in office than women. Are we asking for too much from our democracy if we want to see more diversity? Are our demands too taxing or too exhausting?

Currently, politics is mostly vanilla with some sprinkled colors.

It’s as simple as this — representation matters. Buzzfeed’s “If Men Were Women” cleverly parodies this concept to comment on gender stereotypes and standards, but the part that resonates the most is 49 seconds in. A young boy glances at a composite of U.S. Presidents, and they happen to be all women. The reality is that this happens to girls — that there is no tangible woman president to admire and look up to.

It’s well past time our politicians reflect the community they represent. It’s simply human nature not to invest as much time or energy into issues that don’t personally impact us. Women will naturally care more about pouring resources into women’s healthcare. African-American government officials will invest more energy into ensuring our police force is acting fairly. These wildly different viewpoints then balance each other out so no one bias wiggles its way into law. Without the voices at the table, however, some issues will never be made a priority or will be handled inappropriately because it doesn’t directly impact our lawmakers. Together, we need to demand more political representation to reflect America’s melting pot. Then, and only then, will our country truly work for all of us.

Belinda Nam is the content intern at NewFounders (formerly RISE). NewFounders believes in unity through problem-solving, and is comprised of design, tech and innovative thinkers that believe in unity through problem solving. See more at www.newfounders.us

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A coalition of leaders seeking to unite and move America forward. www.newfounders.us

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