So here's an interesting little microcosm of political theory... City of Greenbelt, located just outside the nation's capital has an all white city council. Even though the city population is 60% black, black voters don't vote in local elections. ACLU and NAACP are up in arms about the fact that there are no black city council members.

We then read that in that city it's the home owners that are active in the city government, and renters and transient people simply are not. And it so happens that most of those 60% black families are renting or just passing through.

Now we can assume that there is no actual race oppression involved because the ACLU and NAACP have not charged the city with that at all, their just concerned that there are no black council members.

So here's my question. Is this a case of renters just aren't as involved in local politics because they have less to lose; which is true in any city. Or is this a race thing.

I suggest it is the former because while local elections turn out out 2% of the black population, that same population group turned out 69% for prez Obama's election, an election that directly effected them more than the local elections.

So the City of Greenbelt has added two additional council seats stating that it will allow new city leaders to run without having to replace an incumbant. 

But that's not what NAACP or ACLU want, they want the city to change the city election method from general population votes to votes within created districts. So they would create several districts, one of which would be the west side of town, which is mostly rental units, and thus mostly black residents.

This doesn't fix anything. It does get a black person on the city council, but he/she will have been voted in by 2% of the population of that district. This far from legitimizes that new council member's position and does nothing for the real issue which is a lack of political participation among the black residents.

So what should be done? The real fix, is empowerment of the individual, both through civil laws and education. The real issue here is not about race, it's about individuals having zero stake in what happens in local government because they don't own property or businesses. If they did, they would be very involved in every aspect of local government.

To fix this, you lower taxes, license fees and reduce regulations on small - medium sized businesses. You create a fiscal environment that promotes the small business and allows this group of disconnected people to invest in their community. A community not super-imposed upon them by districting, which only serves to bolster the "west side of the tracks" thinking, but by getting out of the way and letting people partake of the opportunity for personal growth that is their right.

FYI here's the article that got me thinking about this. I'm interested in your thoughts.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/30/blacks-vying-for-white-greenbelt-council/?source=newsletter_must-read-stories-today_top_stories