Senator Conway Meets Congressional Black Caucus (House of Cards)

More Spoilers for anyone not caught up on Season 5 of House of Cards. This Review only goes through Episode 6, Who’s the Boss. In this episode a powerful scene unfolds as Senator Conway meets the Congressional Black Caucus. The scene explores yet, another real issue in our society. It’s linked to the ongoing discussion on why there aren’t more black republicans.

Earlier in the year, in the land of the real, Donald Trump displayed his total lack of awareness of who the CBC was. In fact, most republicans have no idea that the ‘Congressional Black Caucus’ is made up of both Democrats AND Republicans in “Congress”. This ‘ignorant/unaware’ attitude by republicans is the main reason black people rarely vote for their candidates.

The republican party is usually either ignoring black people, or doing harm to black people.

This powerful scene shows the meeting with Conway trying to get support from the Congressional Black Caucus in a wild election. Without spoiling ‘too much’, his scene is what usually happens. The republican party is always asking why aren’t more black people voting for them. In fact the ‘channel’ I ripped this video from even helped me out.

Here’s the video, with my comments below.

Conway Tells Congressional Black Caucus ‘you people’ (the blacks) prop up the Status Quo.

Clearly he is a republican, and clearly missed the point.

They always seem to miss the point. In fact, I’ve been thinking about penning my thoughts on this issue for a few weeks now. I just so happened to be watching the show, and loved this scene. Then I was happy to see someone else put it on YouTube. My excitement was dimmed when I read his description of this scene, and some of the comments in the thread. Because they, missed, the entire point.

The white man in the scene who says “that’s enough” is Mark Usher. He’s a character hired to help Senator Conway win. If you watch him closely, he’s a real player in Season 5, and his head drops several times during this meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus. Republicans just don’t know how to talk to black people. Let’s begin there. If they really and truly wanted to win black people ‘to their side’, they could all start by learning how to talk to black people. Unfortunately, hate and disdain seems to drip from their lips whenever they speak of the black community.

This condescension is especially true when talking to ‘leaders’ within the black community.

Republicans clearly seek to use blacks as ‘pawns’ to stay in power. If anything, this view that blacks are propping up the status quo is a revealing of how they feel about black people. They hope blacks will instead decide to prop them up, so they can call all the shots.

This is why so many of them are enthralled with “making America Great again” – when we know what that really means! We have seen it before our eyes, as everyone in Trumps administration (in any real position of power) is White. One example is below from Trump’s decision to Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Almost everyone in the audience is White.

Seemingly, their anger with black people stems from not getting black support. They ignore everything THEY are doing to turn black people off. All while looking for every opportunity to suggest that THE DEMOCRATS aren’t doing anything for black people ‘either’. A sif that’s even a good argument to make (Remember Donald Trump saying to black people what do you have to lose?)

They fail, however to connect the dots or answer their Own questions. These are not difficult questions to answer. Meanwhile … a quick word from Angela Rye.

I will always fight against racism and systemic oppression. I don't give a damn about your politics. #racismisNONPARTISAN

— a. rye (@angela_rye) June 3, 2017

While it’s true that ‘neither party’ does all that good of a job in looking out for black people, the Republican party never does.

I left this guy some ‘comments’ that I want to share here as well. (In case he censors me for his audience who I’m sure won’t want to hear my thoughts! They never do!) Also broke up some of my comments with a few ‘related’ links.

I just read your description and you unfortunately are wrong. The democrats are not forcing black people to vote for them. Black people make up their own minds and decide to vote for them because Their candidates tend to support Policies that help the black community. We know our nation has a long history of racial divide, specifically around the question of ‘what to do with the slaves’ —- That is at least the Origin of the Divide — we are now 100 years past the ‘end’ of slavery, but what this nation did was allow for 100 years of Jim Crow Laws; which Further harmed black people —- including Not allowing blacks To vote;

It amazes me how many of them skip over all this history …. America’s Original Sin: How Slavery Paved Today’s Path

After several people fought and Died So that blacks could vote — it was the Democratic Party of Lyndon B. Johnson who saw to it that it was Possible ———- and so that is the Origin of Black people voting for Democrats; and anyone who knows ‘history’ understands Why blacks, for the most part, have continued that. Because Republicans continually try to Harm black people —– Starting with Richard Nixon (who followed Lyndon Johnson) — and all the Known Racist Policies he enacted; I mean he’s only On Tape Saying how he wants to Target and Harm the Black Community — as he kicked off his “War on Drugs” — which again was created to Harm black People ——

Jeff Sessions Declares War On Black People

He was followed by another Republican; Reagan; Who sought to Continue NIXONS policies and even had LEE ATWATER working for him; The author of the famous “Southern Strategy” — Which basically said, You can’t be OPENLY Racist anymore; YOu have to use CODE words; and That is what REPUBLICANS have been doing ever since; using CODE Words, to be Racist — and seek to Harm black people ———— and those polices, were continued under Bush; Who also sought to HARM Blacks; Meanwhile;

False Narrative: Racist White People Aren’t The Majority

The Democrats DO at least Try to Undo some of what the Republicans do; They don’t go as hard as they should; they don’t fight racist white people like they should — but they do far better at it than republicans do; So when Republicans go around saying “I don’t know what’s wrong with blacks and why they keep voting for a party that isn’t doing anything for them” — You are Insulting black people’s Intelligence.

I’m Copying my comments; Screenshotting yours; and writing a blog about you and racist white people like you who watch this scene and STILL Don’t get that the Senator (Conway) is OUT OF LINE TO speak to black people in this manner; that was the PURPOSE of this scene —- NOT to say that blacks STILL Don’t get it; It’s you; and you racist white people who don’t get it; black people are not stupid; We know who’s really on our side; and that’s why there is a congressional black Caucus in the first place.

A caucus is not just made up of “One party” —- but you wouldn’t know that — because like most white people you don’t even pay any mind to black people unless you’re trying to say something negative. Shame on you sir. Shame on you.

Most of what I’d say here, I already said there.

There is a reason that blacks tend to vote for the Democratic party, and all those reasons make blacks wonder about Black Republicans. While it’s true, that often the party of ‘liberals’ often tries to address all social injustices. In so doing, they often end up ignoring the black community and their specific needs. This is an ongoing problem in America. It’s always been this way, before and since the end of Slavery.

We have discussed this before in The Black Vote Does Not Exist AT This Time.

Just as Malcom X said more than 50 years ago, Blacks are used as ‘pawns’ in the game of politics, sill.

This scene with the Congressional Black Caucus, though fiction shows us what really goes on. Throughout House of Cards we see how politicians negotiate for votes, funding, and more. We see them meet with several ‘special interest groups’. The CBC has been a presence throughout all 5 seasons. But this was a major scene!

I often do wonder if Republicans really want black support at all. The way they talk to black people is so condescending. None of what they do is any resemblance of extending any olive branches. Their demeanor with black people is very warlike. Just as I’ve pointed out in White Victimhood: The Formula Explained. They Attack black people and then decide it’s blacks who are wrong to not love them for it.

They want blacks to be ‘good niggers’ who’ll take their punishment just like a good slave used to. That’s what stood out to me in this scene with the ‘fictional’ Congressional Black Caucus on House of Cards.

It’s amazing to watch, as so many of them are ‘seemingly’ so dumbfounded and often frustrated over this issue. Senator Conway was even pretty upset about having to wait for the meeting to begin. He was like, who do ‘these people think they are?’…. Continually failing to show respect to black people, while expecting blacks to love them. Do they really want black people on their side or are they just taunting blacks instead??

*update from 11/25/2023 –

A lot has changed for Black voters since this was written. Democrats have been acting more and more like Republicans. As black voters are moving away, from both political parties….