Yesterday, Too Conservative reported that "former Redskin Darrell Green is currently in talks to run for the 33rd State Senate District...currently held by Senator Mark Herring." Both Too Conservative and Not Larry Sabato opined that this was big news, with TC calling it "HUGE for Virginia Republicans" and NLS calling it an "earthquake." Both bloggers believe that Darrell Green would be likely to defeat incumbent Mark Herring (D), elected in a January 31 special election by a landslide (62%-38%) margin over Republican Mick Staton. Well, hold on a second guys.
First of all, how many black, elected Republicans are there nationwide? According to the National Black Republican Association, there are 84 nationwide. This may sound like a lot, except when you consider that there are over 9,000 total black elected officials in the United States and over 100,000 total elected officials. That means that black Republicans account for just 0.9% of total elected African Americans in this country, and less than 0.1% of total elected officials. Not exactly a raging success story for black Republicans, to put it mildly.
Second, now comes a study by an economist at Yale University indicating that "white Republicans nationally are 25 percentage points more likely on average to vote for the Democratic senatorial candidate when the GOP hopeful is black." In addition, "White independents are similarly inclined to vote for the white Democrat when there's a black Republican running, according to her study of congressional and gubernatorial voting patterns between 1982 and 2000..."
Third, as noted above, Mark Herring won his seat in a landslide against a well-connected, well-known Republican candidate, son-in-law of former right-wing Republican Delegate Dick Black. Herring's victory came in an area that is trending strongly "blue," with Tim Kaine carrying both Fairfax and Loudoun counties in 2005. In other words, Herring isn't exactly chopped liver (yes, bad food pun intended, sorry!).
In other words, although Republican might think they will score an easy touchdown here, it is just as possible that they could be held right at the line of scrimmage. Interceptions and fumbles with an inexperienced candidate like Darrel Green are also a strong possibility. Before Republicans all start singing "Hail to the Redskins," they might want to run a mini-camp or something and see how their ground game is looking at this point. They might also consider the statistics discussed above before they start planning their victory parade.
[UPDATE: Charity Navigator gives Darrell Green's "Youth Life Foundation" one of its lowest possible scores - 1 star (39.99 points). The charity scores particularly low on "Organizational Capacity," with the growth in its expenses far outpacing the growth in its revenues. Hey, sounds just like Republican economics to me! Hmmmm...]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14093-2003Aug2?language=printer
I didn't happen to see Darrell Green the day I visited the Youth Life Learning Center he founded in Northeast Washington. But the respected former Redskins cornerback comes by now and then, and the kids all say they know him.
The learning center is the centerpiece of Green's well-known concern for disadvantaged children. Located in four basement rooms of a rent-subsidized housing complex called Franklin Commons, it's a neat, immaculately clean mini-version of a well-equipped school, furnished with bulletin boards and computers, and impressively staffed: Seven adults, including three volunteers, were on hand to work with the 28 kids who attended that day.
*** In all, 38 kids, ranging from early elementary school to high school age, are enrolled at the Franklin Commons center. They participate in after-school programs, a six-week summer session and weekly Bible study and can receive a generous range of assistance, including private tutoring, summer internships and, in a few cases, tuition aid for private schools. ***
Green's intensity on the subject of children and his strongly voiced Christian principles have made him something of a hero to the Bush administration -- which in turn has meant that his work is increasingly endorsed by government officials and subsidized with taxpayers' dollars. Since 2001, Congress has ordered more than $3 million in grants earmarked for Green's Youth Life Foundation, with the goal in part of opening more Green learning centers here and in other cities.
But his center is directly serving only 38 kids, in a city where 35,000 live in poverty. At a time when public spending on social services is being challenged or cut back, such generous amenities offered to one small group can't help but make you wonder about how well served all those other kids are. ***
here's just a snippet:
"But before Congress stepped in, the foundation ran a $177,000 deficit in 2000, according to its tax returns.
It reported $173,292 in management and $150,979 in fundraising costs – leaving only $356,925, or 52 percent of its budget, for services to the kids at Franklin Commons. Management and fund-raising costs were high because of plans for growth, Sherrod says.
Charity watchers like the Better Business Bureau recommend that program services should be at least 65 percent of a group’s budget. Such concepts appear to annoy Green, who suggests they come from people sitting on the sidelines, watching others help kids. “Who comes up with such numbers?†he asks."
One such critic is Jim Myers, a writer who lives in Washington, D.C., in a predominantly African-American neighborhood that is beset with many social problems. In recent articles in Youth Today and The Washington Post, Myers exposed a shocking example of government profligacy.According to the writer, the Bush administration and its congressional allies since 2001 have earmarked more than $3 million to the Youth Life Foundation, a faith-based outfit run by former football star Darrell Green. Of that sum, an estimated $1.3 million went to a learning center in northeast Washington that serves only 38 children. . . .
Lucky participants at Green's learning center at Franklin Commons housing project get not only Bible study and prayer, but also tutoring,
summer internships and sometimes private school tuition. "Mystery Trips"
take these low-income children to faraway destinations including
Chicago, Disney World and the Grand Canyon."But," says Myers, "(Green's) center is directly serving only 38 kids, in a city where 35,000 live in poverty. At a time when public spending
on social services is being challenged or cut back, such generous amenities offered to one small group can't help but make you wonder about how well served all those other kids are."
From the Wash Post article:
"Two smaller children were being taught the Lord's Prayer, a reflection of the center's commitment to faith-based education."
From a Jim Myers article: "Lucky participants at Green's learning center at Franklin Commons housing project get not only Bible study and prayer,"
"Bible study is once a week, and there’s a prayer before the snack.
The program’s roots in Green’s Christian convictions are clear to residents at Franklin Commons. In addition, the foundation and its affiliates draw significant leadership from Morning Star International, a Tennessee-based network of Pentecostal churches, although the ties to Morning Star are not mentioned in DGYLF’s brochures and website.
Janeye Guinn, 15, says she’s been enrolled for a year at Franklin Commons and likes that the activities are “spiritually based.†“Some kids feel they try to shove God down your throat,†she says, “but I’m not one of them.†"